Analyst's Bold Take On USC's Makai Lemon Before NFL Draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching. Where will USC Trojans star wide receiver Makai Lemon end up?

Makai Lemon Picked No. 6 Overall By Analyst

USC Trojans Makai Lemon NFL Mock Draft 2026 Wide Receiver Biletnikoff Award Winner Projection Cleveland Browns Todd Monken — Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California wideout Makai Lemon (WO29) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Lemon, the 2025 Biletnikoff Award, measured in a 5-11, 192 pound at the 2026 NFL Combine. His combine production score of 91 ranked No. 1 out of all wide receivers that participated at this year’s combine. According to NFL Mock Draft Database, Lemon is ranked as the No. 13 overall prospect in the 2026 draft class.

ESPN analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Jordan Reid, and Field Yates recently put together their own mock for the 2026 NFL Draft. All of the analysts took turns making selections for the first three rounds of the draft based on what they would do with each pick.

Miller had the No. 6 overall pick for the Cleveland Browns. He selected Lemon. That's higher than most other mock drafts out there. It would also slate Lemon as being the first receiver taken.

“My top-ranked wide receiver in the class goes to the Browns, who are undergoing a youth movement at the skill positions,” Miller said. “Lemon can create space for himself and knowns how to vary his routes.”

After Lemon, the next two receivers taken in this mock draft were Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate No. 11 overall to the Miami Dolphins and Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson No. 13 overall to the Los Angeles Rams.

If Lemon were to be drafted by the Browns, he would be joining a team with a lot of holes on the offensive side of the ball. In the 2025 season, Cleveland ranked 31st in the NFL is points scored per game with 16.4. They averaged the 30th most yards gained per game with 262. The Browns went 5-12 last season.

They decided to part ways with coach Kevin Stefanski after the season and hired former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken as coach. Monken will have his hands full in year one.

In the wide receivers room currently for the Browns, they are led by Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, and Isaiah Bond.

The biggest issue for the Browns has been at the quarterback position. They started three different quarterbacks last season and that has been a constant theme for the franchise this century.

Lemon's 2025 Season With USC

2025 was Makai Lemon's breakout season in college. In his third season with the Trojans, Lemon finished the regular season top 10 in the country in receptions (79), receiving yards (1,156), and receiving touchdowns (11).

Lemon became the second ever USC receiver to win the Biletnikoff Award for being the best receiver in college football. The only other Trojan to do so was wide receiver Marqise Lee in 2012.

Lemon played all three of his collegiate football seasons with the Trojans from 2023-2025. For his career, he totaled 137 receptions for 2,008 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns.

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