Eagles 2026 draft class analysis
How would you grade this group?
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 23: Southern California wide receiver Makai Lemon poses for a studio portrait during the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Philadelphia Eagles made eight picks in the 2026 NFL Draft! Let’s talk about them.
Makai Lemon, Wide Receiver, USC Signature Stat: Forced 21 Missed Tackles on only 79 receptions in 2025 The Player: Makai Lemon was one of the best players in college football in 2025. He was the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner for top receiver in the country and was a unanimous All-American. With 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, the Trojan offense ran through Lemon’s hands.
Lemon is not a standout athlete like some of his peers. At 5’11” and 196 pounds, Lemon has a muscular build but lacks the height, length, or hand size of top tier receivers. On paper, Lemon doesn’t look like he’d be a problem for defenses, but he was.
He really, really was. Lemon is a highly advanced route runner with a great sense of attacking both man and zone coverages. He can use eye fakes, great footwork, and physicality to separate from man coverage and he’s great at finding the soft spot in zones to help his quarterback.
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