Makai Lemon is a local kid who made good. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he emerged as a Top 50 national prospect and the WR9 in the 2023 class. Lemon sat behind a talented USC receiver room in 2023, spending part of the year at defensive back, before emerging to lead the team in receiving in his second season. He hit superstardom as a junior in 2025, winning the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver along with All-Big Ten and All-American honors. He added a semifinalist finish for the Maxwell Award and was the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. Lemon brings toughness as a receiver; he played both ways in high school and was the Trojans' primary kick returner in 2024.

 

Lemon is a powerful receiver who can shed tacklers in the open field. He has strong hands and is comfortable playing the ball downfield. He will garner evaluations as a pure slot, but USC frequently created space for him with presnap movement rather than through route running. His play strength and mentality are his best traits, allowing him to handle volume at the NFL level. He can emerge as the top receiver in the class, though he may be closer to the end of the first round than consensus belief.