Makai Lemon WR USC | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Makai Lemon WR USC
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Slot Receiver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 06/26/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.48 seconds (59%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.0 DOB: 06/02/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Slot Receiver | |
| Last Updated: 06/26/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.48 seconds (59%*) | |
| Age: 21.0 DOB: 06/02/2004 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 87.1 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 110.4 | |
| Hands: |
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88% |
| Short Receiving: |
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86% |
| Intermediate Routes: |
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91% |
| Deep Threat: |
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91% |
| Blocking: |
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66% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
1st - Late
Overall Rank:
#32
Position rank:
#7
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| College Games: 17 College Snaps: 482 | ||
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) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jaylin Noel - Iowa State |
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93% |
| Jordan Addison - USC |
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91% |
| Luther Burden III - Missouri |
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91% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Makai Lemon began his football career at La Mirada High School before transferring to Los Alamitos High School in California. Throughout his high school career, Lemon accumulated over 3,600 receiving yards and 41 touchdowns while earning multiple honors including MaxPreps All-America First Team and All-CIF selections. He arrived at USC as a five-star ESPN recruit with a 90 rating. During his freshman season in 2023, Lemon displayed his versatility by playing both wide receiver and cornerback, appearing in 9 games and recording 6 receptions for 88 yards along with 1 tackle.In 2024, Lemon established himself as a key contributor for the Trojans, leading the team with 52 receptions for 764 yards and 3 touchdowns across 12 games with 6 starts. He also became a valuable special teams asset, recording 19 kickoff returns for 514 yards (27.1 avg) with a long of 80 yards. His kickoff return average ranked 6th nationally and 2nd in the Big Ten. Notable performances included a 134-yard receiving game with a touchdown against Rutgers and a 133-yard receiving effort against Notre Dame. His contributions earned him All-Big Ten Offensive Honorable Mention and All-Big Ten Return Specialist Third Team honors.
The 5'11", 190-pound junior (DOB: 07/14/2005) entered the 2025 season as a Biletnikoff and Paul Hornung Award candidate. After his sophomore season, Lemon ranked third among returning Power Four receivers with 3.03 yards per route run. His receiving grades showed particular strength in deep (91.25%) and medium (90.41%) routes, while maintaining solid hands (87.83%). With his combination of receiving skills and return ability, Lemon totaled 1,460 all-purpose yards during his sophomore campaign, establishing himself as a versatile offensive weapon for the USC program.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Lightning-quick acceleration off the line with piston-like leg drive that devours defensive cushion before corners can properly react or adjust their positioning.
- Technical route craftsman who manipulates defender leverage through subtle tempo changes and precise break points that create consistent windows for his quarterback.
- Nuanced understanding of zone coverage concepts allows him to consistently locate soft spots between levels and present reliable targets in traffic.
- Natural ball-plucking ability with excellent hand-eye coordination that enables him to secure catches away from his frame even through contact.
- Exceptional change-of-direction skills in open space that transform routine completions into explosive gains with ankle-breaking lateral cuts and sudden direction changes.
- Advanced spatial awareness and route-running intelligence despite his young age, showing veteran-like understanding of how to exploit defensive positioning and leverage.
- Impressive body control at the catch point allows him to contort mid-air and make difficult grabs on throws outside his optimal catching radius.
- Valuable special teams contributor with natural vision and burst as a returner, demonstrating ability to set up blocks and create opportunities.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Physical limitations become apparent against press coverage where longer, more athletic NFL corners can disrupt his timing and initial release at the line.
- Limited route diversity when working exclusively from outside alignments, though his slot mastery and proven press coverage releases provide multiple deployment options.
- Run-blocking technique remains inconsistent with tendency to lunge rather than maintain proper leverage, showing occasional disinterest when plays develop away from him.
- Frame size concerns for outside receiver role at professional level where increased physicality and contact could affect his effectiveness over the middle.
- Limited route diversity against press coverage situations where he cannot rely on free releases to create his preferred separation windows.
Scouting Report: Summary
Lemon's transition to the pro level should be smoother than most receiver prospects given his technical foundation and proven ability to separate consistently. His separation ability against college competition indicates he understands how to create windows, while his route-running precision suggests he can handle the increased complexity of NFL defensive schemes. The combination of slot mastery and developing outside skills gives him multiple pathways to early playing time in offensive systems that value versatility and reliable hands.Teams utilizing spread concepts and quick-game packages will find his skill set particularly appealing, especially given his documented success against both man and zone coverage. His ability to process pre-snap reads and find soft spots translates well to professional passing games where decision-making speed often determines success. The special teams contribution provides additional roster value while he develops into a full-time offensive weapon, creating flexibility for coaching staffs during his adjustment period.
The expectation is a Day 1 or early Day 2 selection who can contribute as a rookie in specific packages before developing into a consistent starter by his second season. His college production and measurable athleticism create a solid foundation for professional success, though his ultimate ceiling will depend on continued physical development and scheme fit. Lemon's combination of college dominance and translatable skills positions him well for early selection and sustained NFL success.
How other scouting services rate Makai Lemon (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
45.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
7.0
*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.