Ja’Kobi Lane: The Cherry on Top
Natalie Miller, USC Football Communications Student Assistant
10/11/2025
It’s not every day a USC football player pauses an interview to stop by an ice cream truck for a root beer float – but that easygoing spontaneity captures junior wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane perfectly: confident, grounded and refreshingly himself. The junior wide receiver is anything but conventional, as he charmingly self-describes.
Lane performs among the game’s elite. But those highlight reel plays didn't happen by chance. They began as a kid in Arizona, watching YouTube videos of former NFL greats Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry’s one-handed catches and explosive routes.
“I caught the ball one handed for the first time in a game my junior year of high school, and I was shocked; I thought it was really cool,” Lane said. “I used to practice those one-handed catches then, but now I focus more on ball security,” he said with a laugh.
Growing up in Arizona, Lane remembers his trips to buy football gear with his mom and their stops for gelato afterwards at their favorite shop, Frost, in Gilbert, Arizona.
“She's my best friend,” said Lane. “She's like my mom and my sister at the same time”.
Lane credits his mindset and drive to his mother.
“There were times where I wanted to stop playing football when I was younger, but my mom always encouraged me to keep going,” he said. “She taught me about working hard and staying grounded in who I am.”
That sense of grounding became his compass and something that centered him through the emotional rollercoaster that inevitably comes with being a collegiate athlete performing on the brightest stage.
When Lane was 7 years old, his mother, Megan, opened their home to foster children. Their house was full of different faces, voices and stories, and it is where Lane first learned empathy. As an only child to a single parent, Lane gained a variety of siblings through his mother’s compassion and love.
“I didn't come from the usual two-parent household, but I still had it really great,” he commented, “I think it's my experience and upbringing that helped me know how to communicate with the kids to really connect with them.”
After games or USC Football events, Trojan fans have absolutely seen dozens of children lined up to take a photo with Lane. It’s no secret that he has a special connection with them. While his boisterous energy lights up the football field, his gentleness and patience shine when he’s surrounded by children gazing up at his superhero-like 6-foot-4 frame.
Lane would often accompany his mother to a group home to spend time with the kids. There, he would tell everyone stories about his time in football as a way to encourage and connect with them.
“I think that's when I first started to understand other people's perspectives,” he said. “I learned how to communicate effectively and how saying the right things could make their day a lot better.”
His communication abilities are also noticed by his teammates. USC quarterback Jayden Maiava recently spoke about Lane’s leadership abilities to the Los Angeles media.
“Ja’Kobi is everybody's hype man,” Maiava said with a smile. “We all feed off of his energy”.
“I try to make sure I always bring that energy to help out my team, but it's more than just being a hype man,” Lane said in response.
The ability to connect with his teammates on a personal level is a leadership trait that Lane prides himself in.
“Whenever I talk to my teammates, it comes from a place of love. I wouldn't want to hear something if it wasn't coming from the heart,” he explained.
Lane is intentional about building close relationships with every player on the team, no matter where they sit on the depth chart, while also emphasizing the importance of making the locker room the healthiest it can be.
“I believe part of being an effective communicator is being a great listener too. As a leader, I try to communicate that everyone who is a part of our program is important; there is no difference between me and our janitor, Nelson,” he said.
Lane leads by example with an emphasis on treating every person with respect.
“I like to put my words into actions. I want to live up to what I say, be a good person and try my absolute hardest in everything I do.”
So far in the 2025 season, Lane has recorded 278 receiving yards, leading the Big Ten with an average of 21.38 yards per catch.
While Lane regularly decorates his stat sheet, some elements of his game do not show up in the box score. What sometimes goes unnoticed is his unselfish game. Lane regularly throws his body in the line of fire to block for his teammates so they can make the big play. This unselfishness was displayed against Illinois, when Lane knew he could impact the game, even if he wasn’t fully healthy.
““He wasn’t supposed to play at all (against Illinois), but the kid’s a warrior,” said USC head coach Lincoln Riley. “He’s a guy who will lay it on the line for the whole team and the program.”
Being a human highlight reel, you would think that his ultimate goal is winning championships and gaining fame, but remember – Lane is unconventional. Beyond a successful career in football, Lane wants to be remembered as a good person, a leader, a teammate and an inspiration for children like his foster siblings growing up.
“A good human, that will always make people laugh and put a smile on someone's face,” he explained, “A guy that is fun, communicative and open, but when I step on the field, everyone knows what time it is. That’s how I want to be remembered.”
“He is unique,” said Riley, “he has a competitive energy that affects our entire football team.”
So maybe “unconventional” isn't the right word after all. Because for Ja’Kobi Lane, being different isn't about standing out. He’s never let his upbringing, playing style, mindset or stats define him – but they’ve all shaped him. They’ve molded the brother, the teammate and the person he’s become. And that’s exactly what makes him the perfect finishing touch, or the cherry on top, of Lincoln Riley’s electric offense.
