When Ja'Kobi Lane visited Baltimore about 10 days before the NFL Draft, he told General Manager Eric DeCosta that he has a tight relationship with legendary Raven Todd Heap.
DeCosta was skeptical, so when Lane said he would FaceTime the former tight end on the spot, DeCosta saw it as a litmus test. Sure enough, Heap picked up right away.
Heap coached and mentored Lane at Red Mountain High School, just outside Phoenix. Heap was also a mentor to the tall, lanky wide receiver who was a late bloomer with plenty of talent.
Lane didn't become a varsity starter until his junior year of high school. He exploded once in the spotlight, catching 25 touchdowns over his final two seasons. Heap's son was Lane's high school quarterback.
The Ravens' former franchise receiving leader (before Mark Andrews) and 2001 first-round pick got a front-row seat to Lane's development. Heap then helped Lane navigate his recruiting process, as he earned college offers from many top programs.
"If you've ever been around Todd, everybody knows he's tenfold the best human being to really be around," Lane said. "Just being around him in high school kind of showed me the ropes on how to carry myself, and not only on the field, but off the field."
Now, Heap has played a part in navigating Lane into the NFL with his Baltimore Ravens.
After Lane's top-30 visit ended, DeCosta spoke at length with Heap, getting additional intel into the big-bodied USC receiver with intriguing traits.
Lane is 6-foot-4 with 4.47-second speed, a 40-inch vertical, and the biggest hands in this year's wide receiver class. DeCosta called him a "ball of clay with a lot of upside."
"The Ravens are the perfect spot and opportunity for him," Heap told ESPN's Jamison Hensley.
DeCosta said Heap's input did "carry weight," as the Ravens used their third-round pick to select a wide receiver that will complement the other weapons in the room and provide a big red-zone weapon for Lamar Jackson.
"These guys know the fabric of this place and the culture that we have here and what's been established," DeCosta said. "Guys like Todd were a big part of that. When players reach out, it means a lot.
"The legends, they want to see us do well. So when they endorse a player, it carries a lot of weight."
