If you’re wondering how lucky the Philadelphia Eagles got by landing electric USC wide receiver Makai Lemon at No. 20 overall, just know that they didn’t make a trade to leap up 3 spots from No. 23 just for the fun of it.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman knows good value when he sees it, and Lemon at No. 20 is incredible value on what should be a rookie contract in the same range as the 2025 No. 20 overall pick, where the Denver Broncos drafted cornerback Jahdae Barron and he signed a 4-year, $18 million contract.
Why Lemon was available that late in the 1st round is another story altogether.
‘Disaster’: Lemon Stumbled in Pre-Draft Process
Lemon likely cost himself millions of dollars with his behavior in the pre-draft process.
That was mostly centered around what happened with Lemon at the NFL scouting combine, where interviews with the media and NFL team officials left a not-so-great impression.
âUSC WR Makai Lemon has gone viral for his NFL combine interview when asked who he models his game after and looks up to in the NFL,â NFL influencer Dov Kleiman wrote on their official X account. “Fans are extremely confused by his âdemeanor.â â
âI talked to a scout just now who said he didnât know what Makai Lemonâs motive was behind his combine interviews but whoever advised the kid needs to be fired,â NFL insider Breiden Fehoko wrote on X. â âAbsolutely bombed itâ ⦠word for word.â
âSeeing lots of talk today about Lemon bombing his interviews â¦.. itâs true,â Anthony Betts wrote on X. âI was told the other day he did. Even some people at the combine told me he was a turn off. I know a few teams took him off the board. Does he fall? If he does how far? One team told me âGreat player, horrible attitude. What a disaster.â â
It wasnât so much what Lemon said as how he said it.
âGod forbid a guy get a little slithery,â Chargers Wireâs Alex Katson wrote on his official X account.
Possible Top 10 NFL Slot WR as Rookie
Lemon, 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, has the kind of talent that could make him a star the moment he steps on the field for the Eagles.
He had just 6 receptions for 88 yards and no touchdowns as a freshman at USC in 2023, then started to flash in 2024 with 52 receptions for 764 yards and 3 touchdowns.
In 2025, Lemon finally took the roof off with 79 receptions for 1,156 and 13 total touchdowns â 11 receiving and 2 rushing â in 12 games.
Thereâs some thought Lemon could step in and be a Top 10 slot receiver in the NFL from Day 1.
âHigh-skill, high-volume slot receiver with average size but extraordinary ball skills. Lemon has room for refinement, but not much. Heâs intelligent, confident and polished with the ability to make plays on all three levels,â NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. âTempo-driven route-runner who misdirects man coverage and separates out of turns but is fairly average after the catch. Quicker than fast, featuring early acceleration to open seam throws but flashes late burst when needed … he wins more combat catches than he loses. Lemon is a plug-and-play, quarterback-friendly talent with first-round value and Pro Bowl upside.â
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