TribLive is highlighting the top prospects leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The three-day event is April 23-25.

Makai Lemon

Position: Wide receiver

Height/weight: 5-foot-11/192 pounds

College: USC

Lemon won the 2025 Biletnikoff Award as the most outstanding college receiver. Six of the past seven winners of the award entered the NFL as first-round draft picks, a group Lemon will surely join.

Statistically, he ranked eighth in FBS last season with 1,156 receiving yards, including 502 yards after the catch. He had 79 catches and 11 receiving touchdowns in 12 games.

He also rushed for two TDs and passed for another. Along with the Biletnikoff Award, Lemon was named first-team All-Big Ten and All-American.

Lemon also led USC in receiving as a sophomore with 52 catches for 764 yards and three touchdowns.

Draft analyst Lance Zierlein called Lemon a “high-skill, high-volume slot receiver” in his NFL.com player bio, noting that Lemon “has average size but extraordinary ball skills.” He said Lemon was an NFL-ready receiver worthy of a first-round pick and has Pro Bowl upside.

PFF graded Lemon as the top receiver last season with a 90.8 rating, a tenth of a point better than Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith.

Key stat

50 — Number of catches for first downs by Lemon in last year’s regular season. He tied for the most nationally.

Did you know?

Lemon and Utah offensive tackle Spencer Fano were named the Polynesian College Football Co-Players of the Year. The award has been given annually since 2014 by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. Lemon has Hawaiian ancestry.

On draft

Here is a look at where the top NFL Draft analysts rank Lemon among players at his position and prospects overall:

Draft expert — WRs/Overall

Mel Kiper Jr. — third/ninth

Daniel Jeremiah — second/12th

Todd McShay — second/14th

Field Yates — third/17th

Quotable

“You think of your receiver room like a basketball team. You need your center, but you also need your point guard. Someone like Makai Lemon … that’s your point guard.”

— ESPN analyst Matt Miller