Navy Midshipmen Football Star Talks About Senior Bowl Motivation

A senior Navy Midshipmen defensive back is working to impress NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl this week in Mobile, Ala.

Oct 21, 2023; Annapolis, Maryland, USA; Navy Midshipmen safety Rayuan Lane III (18) grabs Air Force Falcons wide receiver Dane Kinamon (23) face masks during the first half at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

This week is a big one for Navy Midshipmen safety Rayuan Lane III. He gets a chance to do something only a few other Midshipmen have ever done.

Lane is participating in the Senior Bowl this week in Mobile, Ala., one of the top showcases for NFL draft talent in the offseason. It is the final major all-star game before the next stage of the scouting process, which culminates at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in late February.

Lane is just the fifth Navy player to accept an invitation to the Senior Bowl, joining Napoleon McCallum (1986), Eric Kettani (2008), Joe Cardona (2014) and Chris Swain (2015).

The Senior Bowl is a more informal and there’s a chance Lane could have unlimited conversations with NFL general managers and coaches in attendance while preparing for the game.

The conversations, combined with his work on the field, gives him a chance to puts his best foot forward, as he told the Draft Network on Monday.

During a Q&A with the site, he talked about his motivation for participating in the Senior Bowl.

“Knowing that the Senior Bowl really is the culmination of the best players in college football, knowing that I have a chance to compete on that stage and show people what I'm all about, that was all the motivation I needed,” he said.

Lane wrapped up his football career with the Midshipmen last season as he helped them win the Armed Forces Bowl over Oklahoma. The victory helped Navy reach 10 wins for just the sixth time in program history. He also helped Navy win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy.

Lane is one of the most experienced defensive backs in the country. He finished his career with 43 straight games at safety, which is the longest FBS streak for a safety and the second-longest for any defensive back. Pro Football Focus rated Lane as college football’s fourth-best safety.

Lane collected a number of awards, including National Special Teams Player of the Year, First-Team All-American on special teams and Honorable Mention All-American on defense by College Football Network, and First-Team All-American Athletic Conference on defense by the head coaches in the American Athletic Conference.

He finished his career with 244 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, seven interceptions (returning two for a touchdown), broke up 21 passes, recovered three fumbles and forced eight fumbles.

Lane won’t be done after the Senior Bowl. He’s already secured an invitation to the combine, making him the first Navy player to earn a combine invite since Malcolm Perry in 2019.