The 2024 college football season was one of the best in the history of the Navy Midshipmen program.
For only the sixth time they reached double-digit victories, going 10-3. It snapped a four-year streak of them finishing under the .500 mark, something that had occurred in five out of the last six campaigns.
The Midshipmen were a solid, all-around team, getting the job done regularly in every facet of the game. A lot of attention was given to their offense, where quarterback Blake Horvath ran the show productively.
Defensively, the team had its ups and downs throughout the year but were able to finish the season on a high note.
After losing to the Tulane Green Wave 35-0, they didn’t surrender more than 20 points in each of their last three games, victories over the East Carolina Pirates, Army West Point Black Knights and Oklahoma Sooners.
One of the key contributors to that unit was safety Rayuan Lane III, who put together an incredibly productive career during his time at Navy.
He played in 49 career games, totaling 244 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. In each of the last three years he recorded at least 66 combined tackles.
A very good playmaker, he recorded seven interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns, with 21 passes defended, three fumble recoveries and eight forced fumbles.
Set to participate in the NFL Combine in a few weeks, Lane is someone who could certainly hear his name called during the 2025 NFL Draft in late April, especially if he has a good showing during workouts.
There have only been three Midshipmen selected this century during the draft; running back Malcolm Perry in the seventh round, No. 246 overall by the Miami Dolphins in 2020, running back Keenan Reynolds, who was picked in the sixth round and No. 182 overall by the Baltimore Ravens and Joe Cardona, a long snapper selected in the fifth round and No. 166 overall by the New England Patriots
Over at Pro Football Focus, a new mock draft was put together and they believe Lane will be the fourth Navy player selected this century.
He is predicted to land with the New York Jets in the sixth round with the No. 200 overall pick. They landed him via a trade with the Green Bay Packers, who acquired the No. 188 overall pick in exchange for No. 200 and No. 239.
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