Makai Lemon Joins Elite Group of NFL Draft Prospects With New Endorsement Deal

Ahead of being selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, USC Trojans star wide receiver Makai Lemon, along with several top prospects, has gained the attention of a popular apparel company.

Sep 13, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) warms up before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Adidas recently announced its 2026 rookie class, and former USC Trojans star wide receiver Makai Lemon is one of the several talented prospects who received the honor of being named to the rookie class. 

Lemon joins 13 other athletes that were signed by Adidas. A trio of former Ohio State Buckeyes stars was included in the class, which includes linebacker Arvell Reese, wide receiver Carnell Tate, and safety Caleb Downs. 

Dec 31, 2025; Arlington, TX, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Former Indiana Hoosiers and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza is also a part of the class as well as former Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

Why Makai Lemon Is Among Top Prospects In 2026 NFL Draft

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) runs with the ball during the first half against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Entering the 2026 NFL Draft, not only is Lemon a part of the Adidas rookie class, but he has a strong case to be the first wide receiver taken off the board ahead of Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, who like the USC star, was one of the best players at his position in college football this past season.

The performance that Lemon put on display in his last season with the Trojans presents a very strong argument for him to be the first wide receiver selected in this year’s draft. In addition to becoming the second-ever USC player to win the Biletnikoff Award, the first since former Trojans wide receiver Marqise Lee won the honor in 2012, Lemon was also named a unanimous All-American.

As one of the top receiving leaders this past season for the Trojans, Lemon recorded 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, having a massive impact in several of USC’s marquee matchups in his three seasons in the cardinal and gold. 

In his final season with USC, Lemon had five games in which he recorded 100-plus receiving yards. Lemon’s career-high in receiving also came this past season in the Trojans 38-17 win over the Northwestern Wildcats on Nov. 7, in which he recorded 11 receptions for 161 yards and a touchdown.

Lemon's NFL Potential Next Season

Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) celebrates after catching a 32-yard touchdown pass against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Entering his rookie season, Lemon has the opportunity to make an immediate impact for an NFL franchise. Depending on where he’s drafted, Lemon could be that critical missing piece to a Super Bowl-contending franchise or help a rebuilding team get back to playing competitive football. 

The development that Lemon underwent for three seasons under Trojans coach Lincoln Riley has put him in a great position to join the other former USC wide receiver stars who have gone on to have success at his position in the NFL, which includes Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions), Jordan Addison (Minnesota Vikings), Drake London (Atlanta Falcons), and JuJu Smith-Schuster (Kansas City Chiefs). 

Lemon’s elite route running and ability to earn yards after the catch are exactly what several NFL teams are looking for to improve their offenses.

The 2026 NFL Draft is set to begin on April 23 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with first-round coverage starting at 5 p.m. PT on ESPN, ABC, and the NFL Network.  

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