In one of the biggest stories of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles jumped up to No. 20 to draft former USC Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon, leapfrogging the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had Lemon on the phone, seemingly ready to pick him.
During the pre-draft process, he drew some criticism and was certainly considered a polarizing prospect. Still, after being selected by the Eagles, he received a message from his parents that made him break down in tears.
Eagles’ Makai Lemon Overcomes Pre-Draft Criticism with Emotional Draft Night Moment
There were some things during the pre-draft process that made fans look a bit sideways at Lemon, such as his podium appearances at the combine, which many considered an odd way to answer questions.
Physical therapist Jeff Mueller was among the analysts evaluating Lemon during the pre-draft process.
Former NFL defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko said he heard from scouts that Lemon didn’t do well in his interviews with some teams.
“I talked to a scout just now who said he didn’t know what Makai Lemon’s motive was behind his combine interviews but whoever advised the kid needs to be fired. ‘Absolutely bombed it’ word for word,” he wrote.
That was backed up by what a personnel executive from an NFL team told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
“I love that dude, watching him last year, but evaluating him through the spring, which version of this player will show up in my building? He didn’t test great, had a couple of rough interviews, from what I’ve been told. Seems like something is missing, or maybe I’m missing something,” the executive said of Lemon.
Additionally, Lemon didn’t run a blazing 40, with times ranging from 4.48 to 4.53 seconds.
The polarizing prospect went No. 20 overall to the Eagles, and his parents made it clear they were proud of their son.
In the video for their son, both expressed how proud they were of him, and his mom applauded him for who he was. She said it was her dream to watch his dream come true.
Makai Lemon’s parents gave him a message that will leave you in tears 🥲@getabagkai | @Eagles | @NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/fvIRXARAOC
— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2026
“It sounds cliche, but like I feel like sometimes I give up on myself when things got tough, but they just never gave up on me. I feel like I wouldn’t be here without them, so I just thank y’all so much,” Lemon said in response to the video.
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Lemon joins an Eagles team that appears ready to move on from wide receiver A.J. Brown after seemingly endless rumors of a trade to the New England Patriots. This means he’ll step in right away, not only as a starter but also with a chance to rack up a lot of production alongside DeVonta Smith.
Last season, Lemon caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns. He finished with a PFSN WR Impact score of 85.1, which was fourth in all of college football.
