NFL Star Receiver Endorses USC Star Makai Lemon

USC Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is about to see his lifelong dream come true when night one of the 2026 NFL Draft kickoffs on Thursday, April 23, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Lemon is projected as a first round pick. He would be the third USC receiver since 2022 to be selected in the first round, joining Drake London and Jordan Addison.

A USC Duo in Pittsburgh?

USC Trojans NFL Draft Pittsburgh Steelers Makai Lemon Carnell Tate Ohio State Buckeyes Jordyn Tyson Aaron Rodgers — Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; USC wide receiver Makai Lemon speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

One of the teams that could be in the market for a receiver on night one is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who holds the No. 20 overall pick.

Former USC receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was traded from the Indianapolis Colts to the Steelers this offseason. If his new team does plan on using its first pick on a pass-catcher, Pittman is hoping it’s another Trojan.

“I’m hoping that if we draft one (a WR) it’s going to be him (Makai Lemon) because of the SC ties,” Pittman said. “He’s a great player. He works hard. He’s going to come in and be an impact player.”

Pittman pairs with DK Metcalf, but Pittsburgh would like to continue upgrading its receiver room for quarterback Aaron Rodgers, if he decides to return, or whoever is under center in 2026.

However, there is a very good chance that Lemon doesn’t even make it to the Steelers at 20. Lemon had multiple top 30 visits with teams drafting inside the top 10. And then a few teams, including the Miami Dolphins at No. 11, Los Angeles Rams at No. 13, Baltimore Ravens at No. 14 and the New York Jets at No. 16, are all teams that could draft a receiver on Thursday.

The beauty of the NFL Draft is unpredictability, and this year expects to be no different.

Receiver Draft Class

Lemon showed an upwards trend every year he was at USC, which ended with him becoming the programs second Biletnikoff Award winner, joining Marqise Lee, and being named a first team All-American as junior in 2025.

He shined during the Trojans Pro Day, running a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash, answering any questions about his straight-line speed. The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder is quick and a detailed route runner that plays much bigger than his size. He has strong hands and is fearless catching the ball in traffic. The Southern California native is a soft-spoken individual with zero character concerns. His position coach, Chad Savage, uses Lemon as the standard for practice habits and work ethic.

Ohio State’s Carnell Tate has been the consensus top receiver for almost the entirety of the draft process, but Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson is surging after an impressive workout before the draft. The workout is fresh in NFL decision makers minds, which holds weight. Lemon, Tate and Tyson haven been viewed as the top three wideouts and they all have different skill sets.

Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. is someone that has all but solidified himself as a first round pick. Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion and Washington’s Denzel Boston are two names to keep an eye on for night one. Of course, every team has different draft boards and where they have these receivers placed can vary. Again, it adds to the intrigue of draft night.

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