One athlete who anticipates hearing his name early on the night of the 2026 NFL Draft is Makai Lemon, a wide receiver who spent the past three college seasons with the USC Trojans.
In draft talks, Lemon has been regarded as one of the top receiving prospects in the draft, with one NFL analyst calling him a “storyteller” for his excellent route running.
Why Makai Lemon Earns Praise for Route-Running Ability
There’s no doubt that Lemon has a ton of athletic ability, but one thing that has earned him a lot of praise is his route-running ability. On “Check the Mic” with Steve Palazzolo and Sam Monson, the two analysts talked about the draft prospect. Here’s what Monson had to say about Lemon:
“You hear a lot about receivers being storytellers with their routes. He’s the best storyteller in this draft. There’s something about the way he sells every element that gets the defensive back to buy it every single time. Even when it’s obvious what he’s doing, they still fall for it… Whatever it is, no matter how many times he shows it to a DB, they fall for it.”
Speed is important for a receiver, but Lemon gets open off pure finesse. The way he moves on his routes stops and freezes defenders, allowing him to get open for big gains.
That route running is a major reason why Lemon ranked fourth in PFSN’s College Football Wide Receiver Impact Metric. He finished the season with an impact score of 85.1 and a letter grade of B after catching 79 receptions for 1,156 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He even added another two touchdowns as a rusher.
Across three seasons with the Trojans, Lemon has caught 137 receptions for 2,008 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. He is also a one-time All-American and the 2025 winner of the Biletnikoff Award, which is presented to college football’s best wide receiver.
In Jacob Infante’s recent 2026 NFL Mock Draft for PFSN, he anticipates that Lemon will be selected with the 16th overall pick that the New York Jets acquired from the Indianapolis Colts for Sauce Gardner. In regard to Lemon, Infante said the following:
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“Makai Lemon was an All-American in 2025 with 79 catches, 1,156 yards, and 11 touchdowns. He is a sure-handed slot receiver who’s quick after the catch and consistently gets open against both man and zone coverage with sharp breaks and good leverage work through his stems.”
With his combination of route running, athleticism, and proven production, Lemon has all the tools to make an immediate impact at the next level for whatever team drafts him.
