When wide receivers skip the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, the spotlight almost always shifts to their Pro Day. That was exactly the case for Makai Lemon, who chose to run his 40-yard dash at USC’s Pro Day rather than at the combine.
Makai Lemon’s Success Goes Beyond 40-Yard Dash Speed
Scouts already had a general idea of what Lemon’s time would look like. He has never been known as a pure burner, and the Pro Day results largely confirmed those expectations. With no laser timing like the combine provides, most hand-timed results placed Lemon in the 4.48-4.53 range.
In reality, Lemon’s 40-yard dash time is far from slow. However, outside observers, especially those less familiar with NFL scouting, might make it seem like a bigger story than it is. For NFL teams evaluating him, game film and production are far more important indicators of his potential. NFL draft analyst Todd McShay addressed Lemon’s 40-yard dash on his podcast, “The McShay Show”:
“I absolutely love his tape. If he’s not the second receiver, he’s going to be the third. If he falls a little bit, I don’t think he’s going to fall though.”
It’s impossible to discuss Lemon’s athletic profile without mentioning Amon-Ra St. Brown. The comparison isn’t just about speed. Both receivers share similarities in stature, play style, and college background, having developed their games at USC.
Coming out of USC, St. Brown faced similar questions about his long speed. He ran a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, which was considered solid but not elite for the wide receiver position. That number helped contribute to him sliding to the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
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Since entering the league, St. Brown has done nothing but prove that straight-line speed isn’t the defining factor of an elite receiver. Through elite route running, physicality, football intelligence, and consistency, he has developed into one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL. His rise from a fourth-round selection to a true star shows that play speed and overall skill set matter far more than a single testing number.
Lemon’s college production further strengthens the case for why NFL teams won’t overreact to his Pro Day time. During his final season at USC, he captured the Biletnikoff Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top wide receiver. Lemon won the award over an impressive group of finalists, including Jeremiah Smith and Skyler Bell.
Statistically, Lemon was one of the most impactful receivers in college football. He finished the 2025 season with 1,156 receiving yards, ranking fourth in the country, while also posting an 85.1 PFSN CFB WR Impact Score, which ranked fourth nationally as well. That level of production reflects a receiver who consistently created separation, generated explosive plays, and played a major role in USC’s offense.
Because of that production and the traits visible on film, analysts at PFSN still project Lemon as one of the top prospects in the draft class. On the PFSN Consensus Big Board, he currently ranks as a top-15 overall prospect and the WR3 in the class, signaling strong confidence that his game will translate to the NFL.
Ultimately, NFL evaluators rarely place too much weight on Pro Day 40-yard dash times, especially when they are hand-timed rather than laser recorded.
Teams rely far more heavily on game film, route-running ability, separation skills, ball tracking, and football IQ when projecting receivers to the next level. Lemon has consistently demonstrated those traits throughout his college career.
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If St. Brown’s career has proven anything, it’s that a mid-4.4 or even mid-4.5 40 time doesn’t determine whether a receiver can dominate in the NFL. Lemon enters the draft with elite production, one of college football’s top awards, and a skill set that consistently shows up on film.
In the end, NFL teams draft football players, not stopwatch times.
