University Southern California Trojans
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
USC’s Makai Lemon Selected by Philadelphia Eagles in First Round of 2026 NFL Draft
April 23, 2026 | Football
PITTSBURGH – USC unanimous First Team All-American and 2025 Biletnikoff winner Makai Lemon was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the 20th pick of the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Lemon is USC's 534 all-time draftee. USC is second behind Notre Dame's 539 for most NFL Draft picks all time. He also is USC's 87th first rounder, second most behind Ohio State's 99.
Lemon is the 14th Trojan wide receiver drafted since 2010, including eighth in the first three rounds and the fourth in the first round in that time frame.
He is the first Trojan picked by the Eagles since DT Marlon Tuipulotu was selected in the sixth round with the 189th overall pick in 2021.
Lemon was selected as the 2025 Biletnikoff winner, presented to the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot or inside receiver, wing back or running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. He is USC's second-ever recipient of the Biletnikoff Award. USC's first winner, All-American wide receiver Marqise Lee, won the award in 2012.
Additionally, Lemon was named the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.
Lemon was also selected as a Walter Camp First Team All-American, FWAA First Team All-American, AP First Team All-American, AFCA First Team All-American and Sporting News First Team All-American making him a unanimous First Team All-American. He is USC's first unanimous selection since QB Caleb Williams and DT Tuli Tuipulotu were unanimous selections in 2022. Former USC WR Marqise Lee was USC's last unanimous All-American wide receiver in 2012.
Lemon also earned honors as a On3 First Team All-American, Sports Illustrated First Team All-American, The Athletic First Team All-American, a PFF All-American and a Pro Football Sports Network Third Team All-American. In addition to earning All-Conference honors by the Big Ten, Lemon was also named to the AP All-Big Ten First Team and the Sports Info Solution All-Big Ten First Team.
Lemon was one of the nation's most electric all-around players while at USC for three seasons (2023-25). He recorded 137 receptions for 2,008 yards (14.7 avg.) while appearing in 33 games with 17 starts. He currently ranks 22nd on USC's career receptions list. Lemon also tallied 27 kickoff returns for 752 yards (27.9 avg) with a long of 80 yards. He tallied 6 punt returns for 71 yards (11.8 avg) with a long of 35. He was 2-of-2 in passing attempts for 63 yards and 1 TD. He also recorded 1 tackle.
In 2025, Lemon showcased himself as the nation's best receiver. Per PFF, Lemon was the highest graded wide receiver in college football holding an overall grade of 90.4 and the nation's top receiving grade of 91.3. The First Team All-American and Biletnikoff winner finished the regular season leading the Power Four in receiving yards (1,156) and receiving yards per game (96.3). He also led the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.6), yards after catch (502) and is tied for most receiving TDs (11). Lemon finished the regular season third in the Power Four with 19 receptions of 20+ yards, and he was tied for first nationally with 50 catches for first downs. In 2025, Lemon scored 11 receiving TDs, 2 rushing TDs and threw a passing TD. Lemon was the first Big Ten player to catch 2 TDs and throw a TD in a game (versus Oregon) since Minnesota's Eric Decker versus Cal on Sept. 19, 2009. He recorded five 100-yard receiving games this season and seven in his career. He had double digits in receptions 3 times in 2025.
Lemon was a 2026 Senior Bowl Invitee and was an NFL Combine participant.
Lemon was USC's most versatile player of the 2024 season. He competed in 12 games (all except Wisconsin) with 6 starts as a sophomore in 2024. He recorded a team-leading 52 catches while leading the Trojans with 764 yards (14.7 avg) and 3 TDs. Lemon also led USC with 19 kickoff returns for 514 yards (27.1 avg) with a long of 80 yards. He finished the reason ranked No. 6 in the nation (No. 2 in the Big Ten) in kickoff returns. Lemon also ranked No. 16 in the nation (No. 2 in the Big Ten) in combined kick returns (514). Lemon was a crucial member of the punt coverage team downing punts for Ray Guy winner, Eddie Czaplicki. He was selected as an All-Big Ten Offensive Honorable Mention as well as an All-Big Ten Return Specialist Third Team.
Lemon, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2023 after graduating a semester early from high school, saw action in 9 games (all but Stanford, Arizona State, California and Washington) on both sides of the ball as a wide receiver and a cornerback as a true freshman in 2023. On offense, he recorded 6 receptions for 88 yards (14.7 avg.) with a long of 40 yards. He also recorded 1 tackle.
USC has a rich NFL Draft history. As of this point in the first round, USC is the only school with an NFL draftee every year since 1939. USC has the longest active streak (25 years) with a player drafted in the Top 3 Rounds. USC has the most picks in the common draft era (1967), with 368 (next is Ohio State with 363 and Notre Dame with 325). USC holds the record for most players selected as the top pick of the NFL Draft (Ron Yary in 1968, O.J. Simpson in 1969, Ricky Bell in 1977, Keyshawn Johnson in 1996, Carson Palmer in 2003 and Caleb Williams in 2024). USC and Oklahoma are the only schools to have the No. 1 pick for 2 consecutive years (Yary and Simpson).
The 2026 NFL Draft continues with the second and third rounds on Friday (April 24) and then concludes with the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday (April 25).
Lemon is USC's 534 all-time draftee. USC is second behind Notre Dame's 539 for most NFL Draft picks all time. He also is USC's 87th first rounder, second most behind Ohio State's 99.
Lemon is the 14th Trojan wide receiver drafted since 2010, including eighth in the first three rounds and the fourth in the first round in that time frame.
He is the first Trojan picked by the Eagles since DT Marlon Tuipulotu was selected in the sixth round with the 189th overall pick in 2021.
Lemon was selected as the 2025 Biletnikoff winner, presented to the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot or inside receiver, wing back or running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. He is USC's second-ever recipient of the Biletnikoff Award. USC's first winner, All-American wide receiver Marqise Lee, won the award in 2012.
Additionally, Lemon was named the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.
Lemon was also selected as a Walter Camp First Team All-American, FWAA First Team All-American, AP First Team All-American, AFCA First Team All-American and Sporting News First Team All-American making him a unanimous First Team All-American. He is USC's first unanimous selection since QB Caleb Williams and DT Tuli Tuipulotu were unanimous selections in 2022. Former USC WR Marqise Lee was USC's last unanimous All-American wide receiver in 2012.
Lemon also earned honors as a On3 First Team All-American, Sports Illustrated First Team All-American, The Athletic First Team All-American, a PFF All-American and a Pro Football Sports Network Third Team All-American. In addition to earning All-Conference honors by the Big Ten, Lemon was also named to the AP All-Big Ten First Team and the Sports Info Solution All-Big Ten First Team.
Lemon was one of the nation's most electric all-around players while at USC for three seasons (2023-25). He recorded 137 receptions for 2,008 yards (14.7 avg.) while appearing in 33 games with 17 starts. He currently ranks 22nd on USC's career receptions list. Lemon also tallied 27 kickoff returns for 752 yards (27.9 avg) with a long of 80 yards. He tallied 6 punt returns for 71 yards (11.8 avg) with a long of 35. He was 2-of-2 in passing attempts for 63 yards and 1 TD. He also recorded 1 tackle.
In 2025, Lemon showcased himself as the nation's best receiver. Per PFF, Lemon was the highest graded wide receiver in college football holding an overall grade of 90.4 and the nation's top receiving grade of 91.3. The First Team All-American and Biletnikoff winner finished the regular season leading the Power Four in receiving yards (1,156) and receiving yards per game (96.3). He also led the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.6), yards after catch (502) and is tied for most receiving TDs (11). Lemon finished the regular season third in the Power Four with 19 receptions of 20+ yards, and he was tied for first nationally with 50 catches for first downs. In 2025, Lemon scored 11 receiving TDs, 2 rushing TDs and threw a passing TD. Lemon was the first Big Ten player to catch 2 TDs and throw a TD in a game (versus Oregon) since Minnesota's Eric Decker versus Cal on Sept. 19, 2009. He recorded five 100-yard receiving games this season and seven in his career. He had double digits in receptions 3 times in 2025.
Lemon was a 2026 Senior Bowl Invitee and was an NFL Combine participant.
Lemon was USC's most versatile player of the 2024 season. He competed in 12 games (all except Wisconsin) with 6 starts as a sophomore in 2024. He recorded a team-leading 52 catches while leading the Trojans with 764 yards (14.7 avg) and 3 TDs. Lemon also led USC with 19 kickoff returns for 514 yards (27.1 avg) with a long of 80 yards. He finished the reason ranked No. 6 in the nation (No. 2 in the Big Ten) in kickoff returns. Lemon also ranked No. 16 in the nation (No. 2 in the Big Ten) in combined kick returns (514). Lemon was a crucial member of the punt coverage team downing punts for Ray Guy winner, Eddie Czaplicki. He was selected as an All-Big Ten Offensive Honorable Mention as well as an All-Big Ten Return Specialist Third Team.
Lemon, who enrolled at USC in the spring of 2023 after graduating a semester early from high school, saw action in 9 games (all but Stanford, Arizona State, California and Washington) on both sides of the ball as a wide receiver and a cornerback as a true freshman in 2023. On offense, he recorded 6 receptions for 88 yards (14.7 avg.) with a long of 40 yards. He also recorded 1 tackle.
USC has a rich NFL Draft history. As of this point in the first round, USC is the only school with an NFL draftee every year since 1939. USC has the longest active streak (25 years) with a player drafted in the Top 3 Rounds. USC has the most picks in the common draft era (1967), with 368 (next is Ohio State with 363 and Notre Dame with 325). USC holds the record for most players selected as the top pick of the NFL Draft (Ron Yary in 1968, O.J. Simpson in 1969, Ricky Bell in 1977, Keyshawn Johnson in 1996, Carson Palmer in 2003 and Caleb Williams in 2024). USC and Oklahoma are the only schools to have the No. 1 pick for 2 consecutive years (Yary and Simpson).
The 2026 NFL Draft continues with the second and third rounds on Friday (April 24) and then concludes with the fourth through seventh rounds on Saturday (April 25).
Makai Lemon | USC Football Career Highlights
Wednesday, April 22
Ja'Kobi Lane | USC Football Career Highlights
Wednesday, April 22
Anthony Lucas | USC Football Career Highlights
Wednesday, April 22
Lake McRee | USC Football Career Highlights
Tuesday, April 21
