Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) catches the ball against Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Jaydon Hill (8) in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Makai Lemon WR USC |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #6 ROLE: Slot Receiver | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 01/28/2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.50 seconds (51%*) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.2 DOB: 06/02/2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #6 | |
| ROLE: Slot Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 01/28/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.50 seconds (51%*) | |
| Age: 22.2 DOB: 06/02/2004 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 88.6 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 125.4 | |
| Hands: |
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90% |
| Short Receiving: |
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91% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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92% |
| Deep Threat: |
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94% |
| Blocking: |
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64% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Top 10
Overall Rank:
#9
Position rank:
#1 (WR)
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| College Games: 29 College Snaps: 1175 | ||
ESPN RATING: 90/100
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247 RATING: 97/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jahan Dotson - Penn State |
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96% |
| Kadarius Toney - Florida |
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89% |
| Luther Burden III - Missouri |
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86% |
Drafted: ROUND: 1 - Pick Number: 20 (PHI)
Draft Profile: Bio
Makai Lemon, first made waves at La Mirada High School before transferring to Los Alamitos High in California, where he terrorized Sunset League defenses from his sophomore year onward. The 5-11, 195-pound wideout piled up over 3,600 receiving yards and 41 touchdowns across his prep career while also moonlighting as a lockdown corner, recording 12 interceptions and 13 pass breakups on the defensive side. His senior campaign saw him haul in 69 catches for 1,044 yards and 12 scores, earning him MaxPreps All-America First Team honors, an Under Armour All-American selection, and a Polynesian Bowl invite.Lemon arrived in Los Angeles as one of the crown jewels of USC's 2023 recruiting class, carrying a five-star ESPN rating (90) and a 247 composite grade of 0.97 that ranked him among the nation's elite prospects. His true freshman season offered a glimpse of the versatility to come: he appeared in nine games on both sides of the ball, logging six receptions for 88 yards while also recording a tackle at cornerback. The 2024 campaign established Lemon as a full-time offensive weapon and special teams dynamo. He led the Trojans with 52 catches for 764 yards and three touchdowns across 12 games, while his 19 kickoff returns for 514 yards (27.1 average) ranked sixth nationally. That performance earned him All-Big Ten Offensive Honorable Mention and All-Big Ten Return Specialist Third Team recognition.
His junior year in 2025 cemented Lemon's status as one of the premier receivers in college football. He exploded for 79 receptions, 1,156 yards, and 11 touchdowns, including a two-score outburst against Georgia Southern and five games with at least 127 receiving yards. The Biletnikoff Award winner and Paul Hornung Award candidate recorded only three drops on 175 targets over his final two seasons, showcasing the reliable hands that have NFL scouts circling his name in their draft notebooks. Lemon also proved he could contribute in unconventional ways: against UCLA in 2024, he went 1-for-1 through the air on a 39-yard completion that set up a Ja'Kobi Lane touchdown. His 1,460 all-purpose yards as a sophomore and his breakout junior season have positioned him as a top-tier receiver prospect entering the draft cycle.
Honors & awards
- 2025 Fred Biletnikoff Award
Scouting Report: Strengths
- He understands leverage at the line better than some NFL vets. Watch him work corners out of position before his break and you see a technician.
- Hands are stupid good. Three drops on 175 targets over two seasons. Quarterbacks trust him in traffic because he's earned that trust every single rep.
- Wins jump balls he has no business winning at 5-11. Went 10-for-15 on contested catches as a junior, attacking the ball at its peak and ripping it away from taller defenders.
- Once he gets rolling, good luck staying with him through his cuts. Snaps off breaks without losing speed and stacks corners who bite on his stems.
- Finds the soft spots in zone like he's reading the coverage from the press box. Shows up in windows right when his quarterback needs him there.
- Two feet drag near the sideline is automatic. Never has to think about it, never gets sloppy with footwork when the boundary tightens his catch radius.
- Ball tracking in the air is a real separator. Adjusts his path mid-route and times his hands perfectly, especially on the deep ball where timing is everything.
- Blocks with intent, not just effort. Sustains on corners longer than most slot guys bother, and his hands are active enough to mirror when defenders try to disengage.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- First step is good, not great. He builds to top speed rather than exploding into it, which shows up against corners who can mirror his initial release.
- Size is what it is. At 5-11 with a smaller catch radius, NFL quarterbacks have tighter windows to work with than they would throwing to a 6-2 target.
- Long-armed press corners will challenge him more than anything he saw in the Big Ten. His release package works, but the physicality jumps at the next level.
- After the catch, he's competitive but not dynamic. You're not getting a guy who turns short completions into 20-yard gains on a regular basis.
- Sometimes rushes his double moves. The patience to let the first stem sell before attacking the second break isn't always there when he senses coverage closing.
Scouting Report: Summary
Lemon operates in that slot-dominant archetype where intelligence and technique compensate for what he lacks in straight-line speed and prototype size. His ability to manipulate leverage at the top of routes, combined with catch point skills that exceed what his 5-11 frame suggests, gives offensive coordinators a reliable target they can deploy across formations from day one. The question is never whether Lemon will get open. The question is how teams want to maximize everything he brings to the table.Spread-heavy systems built around quick-game concepts and option routes will unlock his full potential immediately. His feel for coverage shells and ability to sit down in soft spots makes him a natural fit for timing-based passing attacks where receiver and quarterback operate on the same wavelength. That said, coaches who want to push the ball vertically will find uses for him too. His ball-tracking skills and contested catch ability translate to shots down the boundary, even if he projects more as a chain-mover than a pure field-stretcher. The kickoff return experience only sweetens the package for teams looking to maximize roster spots.
Here's the deal: Lemon walks into an NFL facility ready to contribute. His three drops on 175 targets tell you everything about his hands. His Biletnikoff trophy tells you the college game couldn't contain him. The transition to pro speed and physicality will demand adjustments, particularly against the longer, more physical press corners waiting at the next level. But his technical foundation, competitive spirit, and quarterback-friendly reliability project him as a player who carves out significant offensive snaps early and grows into a consistent starter by year two. Some receivers need schemes built around them. Lemon fits into what you already run and makes it better.
Makai Lemon percentiles vs other Wide Receivers (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Makai Lemon (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
15.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
3.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.