2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Next up to receive his 2026 NFL Draft scouting report is USC WR Makai Lemon.
This wide receiver class in the 2026 NFL Draft has been hotly debated so far, as there have been multiple players taking the throne as the top prospect in the class. One of those players in this debate is USC's Makai Lemon. We have seen slot-dominant receivers make impacts early on, but are we sure that Lemon's game projects positively to the next level?
Let's talk about it. Lemon, a former four-star recruit out of Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos, California, was a two-way player in high school, dominating at both WR and CB. In his senior season, he earned MaxPreps All-American First Team honors, as well as an Under Armor All American Selection.
Lemon would win the Fred Biletnikoff award this season after posting 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns. Makai Lemon is allergic to dropping passes. Over the course of 175 targets during the last two seasons, he registered just three drops.
He welcomes contact over the middle, a trait not commonly seen among receivers. Lemon does a good job playing above his height, making contested catches where he probably shouldn't be in play. Natural feel for zone coverage and IQ to know when to sit and make himself available.