2021 Countdown to Kickoff: 100 Days (Raheem Layne)

Written by Nathan Comp

The Hoosier Huddle countdown to kickoff has begun! Over the next 100 days, we at Hoosier Huddle will feature every player from the 2021 roster in anticipation of Indiana’s first game of the season against Iowa in Kinnick Stadium. Today, we will highlight senior defensive back Raheem Layne.

Raheem Layne (Senior)

Hometown: Deland, Florida

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 200 Pounds

Position: Defensive Back

After a preseason injury required surgery and him to miss the entire season last year, Raheem Layne will make his return to the Hoosier defensive secondary in 2021. However, two things will be new for him: the jersey he’ll be donning, and the position he’ll be playing. The 2020 season saw the removal by the NCAA of a rule that forbid players from wearing the number zero; Layne quickly adopted the number, but his injury kept him from actually taking the field. Now healed, he will become the first Hoosier football player to ever wear the zero jersey. The more significant change, however, will be wear Layne is lining up. After playing cornerback for his first three seasons, Layne will now make the switch to safety. Layne was happy to make the move to this area of need for the Hoosiers and has come into the role well – he, along with Demarcus Elliot, finished spring practice having earned Most Improved Defensive Player awards.

“I was really impressed with Raheem,” said new defensive coordinator Charlton Warren. “If I were a guy coming off the street, I would not have known that he had not played that position prior. He was very savvy. He showed ability to tackle. He showed an ability to learn, which is very important at the safety position. Raheem was able to grasp concepts, especially when things moved or changed pre or post snaps. I was impressed with his progress and I think he has a lot more growth potential, which is awesome. If you told me he played nine games last year and got 40 snaps a game I would have believed you.”

This is certainly high praise coming from Warren, who last season served as Georgia’s assistant coach in charge of defensive backs. Four Bulldog defensive backs were taken in April’s NFL Draft, highlighted by Eric Stokes who went in the first round. Layne also received praise from head coach Tom Allen.

“It is really great to have him back and just his leadership,” said Allen. “I thought he really took a big step in that area. I thought he showed tremendous maturity in his preparation. It is also just amazing that when you miss, and you realize that it is a privilege and a blessing to be out there practicing. He and I talked about that quite a bit. He had a renewed sense of everything because of not being able to play last year, so I am really proud of him.”

Layne brings 37 games of experience, including 13 starts, to a Hoosier secondary that returns much of its production from a 2020 season in which they led the nation in interceptions per game (2.13) and was second nationally in total interceptions (17). Layne has not yet produced an interception but has forced and recovered a fumble and tallied 82 total tackles. His work on special teams earned him the 2019 Special Teams Player of the Year award. He’ll have to fight for his playing time on defense, as Indiana continues to bring in strong underclassmen players, but with Jamar Johnson now playing on Sundays he should be able to find a spot in the rotation.