April 24, 2026
Troy Wayrynen/Imagn Images
New Eagles WR Makai Lemon has many strengths but also could be a compatibility concern.
The Philadelphia Eagles selected a player in the first round that nobody was projecting to them in USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. There's plenty to unpack with this selection, so let's just get right to it.
To begin, Lemon was a highly productive receiver for USC in 2025. He finished 11th in the nation in receptions (79), 8th in receiving yards (1156), and tied for 9th in receiving yards (11). Here's how that compares with the other receivers who were selected in the first round:
| 1st round WR | Rec | Yards | YPC | TD |
| Makai Lemon, Eagles | 79 | 1156 | 14.6 | 11 |
| Omar Cooper, Jets | 69 | 937 | 13.6 | 13 |
| KC Concepcion, Browns | 61 | 919 | 15.1 | 9 |
| Carnell Tate, Titans | 51 | 875 | 17.2 | 9 |
| Jordyn Tyson, Saints | 61 | 711 | 11.7 | 8 |
College production isn't everything, but you certainly want to see good production over bad production (#analysis), so that's a box checked. ✔️
His career production at USC:
| Makai Lemon, USC | Rec | Yards | YPC | TD |
| 2023 | 6 | 88 | 14.7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 52 | 764 | 14.7 | 3 |
| 2025 | 79 | 1156 | 14.6 | 11 |
Lemon entered the draft after his true junior season, the first year he was eligible, which you see less of these days with college players now allowed to make money while still in school. Lemon is still only 21 years old, and he clearly has confidence that he can compete at the next level without playing his senior season.
Lemon is small. He's 5'11, 192, with short arms and small hands.
He also isn't a blazer by any stretch, as he ran a 4.50 40 at USC's pro day. He does not possess impressive physical measurables.
To begin, Lemon catches everything. He had an outstanding 2.8% drop rate in college, and he has the ability to win contested catches despite his smaller size.
He is also a good receiver against all kinds of coverages, averaging a lofty 3+ yards per route run against both man and zone. You don't do that unless you know how to run routes.
And despite a lack of blazing speed, Lemon gets a lot of yards after the catch, whether it's in chunks or just squeezing out an extra yard or two when other receivers might otherwise concede the tackle.
But what likely really appealed to the Eagles' coaching staff is that he is considered a fierce competitor. He is small, but he is also a willing and able blocker, which the Eagles showed they value this offseason when they traded for Dontayvion Wicks.
He also has experience returning kicks and punts.
The Eagles haven't often prioritized high-volume slot receivers, which is what Lemon projects as in the NFL. They infamously passed on Justin Jefferson because they thought that that's all he was (oops!). Instead they selected Jalen Reagor because they wanted what they thought was a fast outside receiver.
The selection of a player like Lemon is a bit of a departure from what they typically value.
In my lone first-round mock draft, I had Lemon going 20th overall, though not to the Eagles. Within my writeup, I noted that I had him going later than most of the other mock drafts out there. Personally, although I profiled Lemon during the season, I didn't bother putting him in my Eagles draft board, (a) because I was certain he'd be gone by pick 23, and (b) I assumed that if the Eagles traded up for a player it would not be for a wide receiver. Oops.
Lemon was regarded as a prospect just outside the top 10 by most draft analysts. Mel Kiper had him rated as the 11th best player in the draft. Daniel Jeremiah had him 12th. Dane Brugler had him 13th.
And as usual, Howie Roseman selected a player at a spot much later in the draft than was originally anticipated.
The Eagles traded with a division rival (the Cowboys) to get him. They gave up a pair of fourth-round picks (picks 114 and 137 overall) to move up a mere three spots from 23 to 20. They also got a seventh-round selection in 2027 in return. Here's what that looks like on the draft value chart:
| Eagles got | Cowboys got |
| Pick 20 (850 points) | Pick 23 (760 points) |
| 7th round pick 2027 (1 point) | Pick 114 (66 points) |
| Pick 137 (37.5) | |
| TOTAL: 851 points | TOTAL: 863.5 points |
So, they gave up a small amount of value to trade up, as they usually do.
Of course, if they hadn't traded up, the Pittsburgh Steelers would have selected him at pick 21. In fact those dumbasses called Lemon to tell him they were picking him, when the Eagles came through on call waiting lol.
Here is the moment Makai Lemon thought he was getting drafted by #Steelers and realizing in real time that the #Eagles traded up, via @gmfb this morning.
— Ross McCorkle (@Ross_McCorkle) April 24, 2026
He asked Omar Khan "Why is Philly calling [me]?" pic.twitter.com/AbXDJONYye
Philadelphia has owned Pittsburgh in hockey all week, and the Steelers' front office got owned on Thursday night. Ouch.
Though he played outside a little at USC, Lemon was primarily a slot receiver, as noted above. He operates in the middle of the field, which is not where Jalen Hurts has shown he enjoys throwing the football. If Lemon is going to be a productive receiver for the Eagles, Hurts is going to have to embrace throwing over the middle, and to a receiver who does not have a wide catch radius. That's a concern.
I mean, let's just be honest. Anyone who was still holding out hope that A.J. Brown wasn't getting trading was guided by delusion. And, well, I get it. Brown was a great receiver for the Eagles, who in a mere four seasons in Philly made a case that he was the greatest Eagles receiver ever.
But the selection of a receiver in the first round put one last nail in that coffin.
Lemon won't be replacing Brown. That will be DeVonta Smith, who will go from WR1b to just WR1. Smith will be the focal point of the Eagles' passing offense, and spoiler, I expect him to put up big numbers in 2026.
The expectation from the team will likely be that Lemon wins a starting slot receiver job, and ideally is the No. 2 option for Hurts in the passing offense.
However, try selling that to some of the morons with radio shows in Philly. (Disclaimer: I have a bunch of friends in Philly radio. I'm not talking about any of you. I love you guys. It's the other ones.)
I do think there will be dopes who will endlessly compare Lemon to Brown, which is wholly unfair to a 21-year-old kid.
Lemon is a really good football player who will help the Eagles' offense. He'll bring some competitive fire to an offense that lacked exactly that far too often in 2025. But the selection also comes with concerns, notably a lack of physical measurables, easily foreseeable compatibility issues with the quarterback, and potentially unrealistic expectations in a demanding city. B+.
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