Makai Lemon WR USC | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Makai Lemon WR USC
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Slot Receiver | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 05/08/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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: 05/08/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| 40 time: 4.48 seconds (59%*) | |
| Age: 21.0 DOB: 06/02/2004 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 86.7 / 100 | |
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| 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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90% |
| Deep Threat: |
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91% |
| Blocking: |
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66% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Early
Overall Rank:
#34
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
- Devastatingly smooth route runner who manipulates cornerbacks with deliberate tempo changes and explosive breaks – his ability to sell vertical before snapping off routes leaves defenders grasping at air.
- Possesses natural hands that pluck the ball away from his frame, even when working through contact – repeatedly showed the concentration to secure difficult catches through defensive back interference.
- Dangerous after the catch with instant acceleration and ankle-breaking lateral agility – turned routine crossers into explosive gains against Rutgers and Notre Dame with devastating open-field cuts.
- Shows exceptional spatial awareness against zone coverage, consistently finding soft spots and presenting a perfect target for his quarterback – routinely settled between linebackers and safeties.
- Displays advanced ball-tracking ability on deep throws, maintaining speed while locating the ball over either shoulder – consistently stacked defenders vertically and adjusted to varying ball trajectories.
- Elite body control at the catch point allows him to contort mid-air and secure throws outside his frame – made several impressive boundary catches against Penn State where he dragged his toes.
- High football IQ and positional versatility from playing both sides of the ball – understands defensive leverage concepts and how to exploit them when running routes.
- Special teams value as a return specialist with natural vision and burst – his 80-yard return against Rutgers showed his ability to set up blocks and create his own lanes with instinctive cuts.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Frame lacks ideal length and bulk for an outside receiver at the next level – could struggle against the jam from longer, more physical NFL corners who can disrupt his timing off the line.
- While quick and explosive, his speed isn't elite enough to consistently threaten NFL secondaries vertically – may need manufactured touches to maximize big-play potential.
- Blocking effort is inconsistent and technique remains rudimentary – tends to lunge instead of maintaining leverage and occasionally looks disinterested when plays go away from him.
- Despite improvements, still developing as a complete receiver – route tree showed limited diversity against press coverage where he couldn't rely on free releases.
- Play strength remains a concern when working through traffic – occasionally gets knocked off balance when navigating congested areas over the middle of the field.
Scouting Report: Summary
Lemon enters the NFL as a receiver with clear strengths and defined limitations. His technical route running and ability to create separation in the intermediate areas stand out on film, particularly on crossers and option routes where he can use his change-of-direction skills. However, his below-average size and merely good straight-line speed will require adjustment at the professional level, where cornerbacks possess both the length to disrupt his releases and the athleticism to recover when beaten.The tape shows a player with natural hands and impressive ball skills who can make catches outside his frame, yet his functional play strength remains a question mark. While he's shown willingness to work across the middle, NFL linebackers and safeties present a different challenge than collegiate defenders. His special teams value provides a floor for his NFL contribution, though even there he'll face a significant step up in competition against professional coverage units. The development of his blocking technique will be crucial if he hopes to stay on the field for all three downs.
His combination of route savvy and after-catch ability gives him the tools to develop into a reliable complementary receiver, while his return skills offer immediate value. The transition will require patience as he adapts to the increased physicality of the pro game, but his technical foundation provides reason for optimism. His ceiling and floor will likely both be determined by how successfully he can translate his college production to the significantly more demanding NFL environment.
How other scouting services rate Makai Lemon (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
56.5
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
9.0
*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.