Naval Academy graduate Rayuan Lane III has signed a rookie contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars that is worth $4.422 million in total value, according to a published report.
Lane agreed to the deal prior to attending Jacksonville’s rookie minicamp that was held May 9-11 inside the Miller Electric Center practice facility. The Gilman graduate was selected in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
According to Over the Cap, a website dedicated to tracking NFL salary cap and contract information for every team and player, Lane agreed to a four-year deal that included a $222,175 guaranteed signing bonus.
Jacksonville drafted Lane with the 24th pick of the sixth round (200th overall). The Jessup native is expected to see immediate playing time as a member of special teams.
In the NFL, the rookie wage scale sets the parameters — based on draft position — that places a ceiling and floor for how much each pick can earn over their standard four-year rookie contract.
According to Over the Cap, Lane will be paid a base salary of $840,000 during his rookie season with that figure increasing to $1.005 million in 2026. Lane is set to earn $1.120 and $1.235 million in the third and fourth years of the deal.
In terms of salary cap impact, Lane’s contract will cost Jacksonville $895,544 in 2025, $1.060 in 2026, $1.175 in 2027 and $1.290 in 2028.
Lane was the first Navy player to be drafted since Malcolm Perry was taken by the Miami Dolphins as a wide receiver in 2020. The Jessup native was the first defensive player from Navy taken in the NFL draft since lineman Bob Kuberski went to the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round in 1993.
Congress recently cleared the path for service academy athletes to pursue professional sports. Section 557 of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025 amended the statutes defining the agreement signed by midshipmen and cadets attending a service academy and their resulting military obligations.
These amendments authorize the secretaries of the military departments to transfer not more than three cadets or midshipmen from each service academy that obtain employment in professional sports.
This transfer to the selected reserves as commissioned officers enables those athletes to participate in professional sports while fulfilling their service obligation through efforts to recruit and retain members of the armed forces.
Lane graduated from the Naval Academy and commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on May 23. Per the new mandate, he must serve a total of 10 years in the Marine Corps Selected Reserves.
Lane was voted first team All-American Athletic Conference as a senior after ranking third on the team with 70 tackles (47 solo). He recorded two interceptions and also had five pass breakups and three forced fumbles.
Lane was only the fifth player in Navy football history to get invited to the Senior Bowl, joining tailback Napoleon McCallum (1986), fullbacks Eric Kettani (2008) and Chris Swain (2015) and long snapper Joe Cardona — all of whom either got drafted or signed as free agents.
John Shipley, who covers Jacksonville for the Jaguars Report and Sports Illustrated, reported that Lane stuck out while competing in special teams drills during rookie minicamp. Shipley pointed out that a major part of rookie development in general is special teams work since that is how many late-round draft picks and undrafted free agents make the roster.
“The most impressive one we saw on Saturday? Sixth-round safety Rayuan Lane III,” Shipley wrote. “The former Navy defender was a speed demon on gunner drills and clearly was executing every aspect of the drills at a high level based on the reactions he got on the field. He should make an instant impact.”
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