Jerome Lane is ready to ‘send it in’ at NFL Combine

INDIANAPOLIS — Jerome Lane Jr.’s name rings a bell for anybody that’s ever been a college basketball fan. His father, Jerome Lane, had one of the most iconic dunks in college basketball history in January 1988, when he shattered the backboard against Providence with an authority never seen before.

“Send it in, Jerome!” was exclaimed by Bill Raftery, and it has become one of the most famous calls in collegiate basketball history. One of the most effortless looking and violent dunks anybody had ever seen was topped off with a signature call.

Naturally, Lane’s son was going to always hear about it growing up. “Like a million and one, million and two times,” the younger Lane said. He also said that people always tell him to “send it in” just as Raftery exclaimed when his father famously shattered that backboard in 1988 upon scoring touchdowns.

“I think one touchdown against Central Michigan I did my first year playing, they threw the ‘send it in’ in there.”

Though it’s one of the most memorable plays and phrases in sports history, Lane wants his own signature. “I need my own. I need my own story, I gotta find one.” Lane said that he was taking suggestions for a slogan, so you can send those in.

Lane isn’t against embracing his dad’s play and Raftery’s call. “I have to hang on the goal post,” he said. Hanging on the goal post after a dunk would be a fine in the NFL, so when asked if he was willing to take a fine, Lane said, “Give me a few years to become a veteran and I have that kind of clout to do that. I have to dunk on the goal post, I have to.”

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Lane is quite the athlete. You could expect that because of how athletic his father is, but Lane was set on just playing in the NFL or NBA. He went to Akron recruited as a defensive player, but made the switch to wide receiver in 2015.

“Teams are testing me a lot to see what I know about the position,” he said. “All in all, it’s been pretty good.” Lane added “I got a chip on my shoulder to come take a position so I don’t want nothing given to me, everything is earned.”

That chip on his shoulder comes from his college experience.

“Coming from the MAC alone is giving me a chip on my shoulder,” he said. “People think that I can’t compete with higher talent than everyone else.” Lane, who has great confidence about himself, said, “People doubt me saying what Jerome Lane can’t do. ‘He can’t do this, he can’t do that.’ Only person who knows what Jerome Lane can do, is Jerome Lane.”

Despite being happy to be in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine, Lane recommended players stay in school to get their degrees. “I wouldn’t suggest coming out early. I wouldn’t suggest coming out early at all,” Lane stressed.

“Get the degree because they can’t take that from you. Coming out, it was fine, but kinda looking back if I had another chance, I probably would have stayed.”

He concluded with, “But I’m here now.”

Lane is here, and will be trying to send in good combine numbers to help his draft stock, while shattering mock draft boards.