The Miami Dolphins have spent the majority of the offseason tearing down their roster, but with the 2026 NFL Draft, they are going to bring a much-needed influx of young talent to town. Armed with a pair of first-round picks, the Dolphins are expected to be aggressive when it comes to their quest to kickstart their rebuild with a strong draft.
Perhaps Miami’s biggest area of need is at the wide receiver position, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle no longer being in town. New quarterback Malik Willis is going to need guys he can trust to get open for them, which is why the team’s latest move involving USC Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon quickly caught the attention of fans.
Dolphins Bring in Makai Lemon for Top 30 Visit
While it wasn’t too surprising to see the Dolphins move on from Hill this offseason, it was a shock when Waddle was traded to the Denver Broncos last month. Miami’s new-look front office publicly said it had no intention of trading Waddle, but it got an offer it couldn’t refuse and shipped him off to the Broncos.
Moving on from Waddle will help the Dolphins in their quest to rebuild their roster, but it leaves them perilously thin at wide receiver. That’s where Lemon could come in and help after he turned in a standout 2025 campaign with USC. In 12 games, Lemon caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, which helped him earn All-American honors.
Along with Ohio State Buckeyes stud Carnell Tate, Lemon is widely regarded as one of the top wide receiver prospects in the draft. Similar to how Waddle quickly became Miami’s No. 1 receiver as a rookie back in 2021, Lemon could fill a similar role with Miami. Armed with the No. 11 pick, which is right around where Lemon is expected to come off the board, the Dolphins are set to host the talented playmaker on a Top 30 visit on Monday.
“USC WR Makai Lemon, one of the Draft’s top WRs, will visit the Dolphins today on a Top 30, source said. Miami picks 11th,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported in a post on X.
Should the Dolphins Draft Makai Lemon?
GettyUSC wide receiver Makai Lemon trying to make a play during the 2026 NFL Combine.
Right now, the Dolphins’ wide receiver room is led by Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert, and Tutu Atwell. Simply put, that’s not a very inspiring group, and if the season started today, Willis would be in a lot of trouble under center. With that being said, the expectation is that Miami will add a couple of wideouts in the draft in an effort to bolster this position.
Lemon certainly appears to have the talent to become a No. 1 wide receiver, and if he were to get selected by Miami, he would have an opportunity to slot into that role right from the get-go. The Dolphins desperately need an influx of talent on offense, and while the front office will likely select the best player available at the No. 11 pick, there’s a decent chance that Lemon could fit that billing by the time the team is on the clock.
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