USC Wide Receiver Makai Lemon Aims To Follow In His Hero's Footsteps

USC Trojans star wide receiver Makai Lemon is looking to fulfill his childhood hero, Marqise Lee's, most valuable accomplishment by winning the Biletnikoff Award. What would bringing the Biletnikoff Award home to USC mean for Lemon?

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

USC Trojans star Makai Lemon has been one of the best wide receivers in college football throughout this season. His impressive performances for the Trojans this season have made him one of the three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded to college football's most outstanding receiver at any position. Lemon looks to become the second USC player to win the Biletnikoff Award and the first since Marqise Lee won the honor for the Trojans in 2012.

Makai Lemon Speaks On Potentially Winning the Biletnikoff Award

Nov 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) celebrates his touchdown scored against the Iowa Hawkeyes with running back Bryan Jackson (21) during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Lemon considers Lee to be his childhood hero. Lemon recently sat down with Lee to discuss what watching the former Trojans star meant to his football journey and the potential of fulfilling his hero's most valuable accomplishment by bringing the Biletnikoff Award back to USC. 

“I remember growing up, definitely watching Marqise Lee. His game just stuck out to me, growing up knowing the type of things he can do. I feel like he was the most overall complete receiver, and that’s how I wanted my game to be. Definitely one guy I modeled my game after growing up,” said Lemon.   

While winning the Biletnikoff Award would be a special moment for Lemon during his USC career, earning accolades has never been his primary goal while playing for the Trojans. It is, however, something he's thought about sometimes.

“I definitely just play and don’t really worry about accolades or trophies and stuff like that. I just came to SC to get my degree and go to the league,” said Lemon. “Sometimes I think about it, but I just do what I do each and every day, whatever comes with it comes with it, definitely just grateful for everything,” 

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Bringing home the Biletnikoff Award to USC for the first time in 13 years would not only be an incredible accomplishment for Lemon's career but it would edge his name as one of the best wide receivers to play for the Trojans.

Why Lemon Has Strong Case To Win Biletnikoff

Dec 21, 2013; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Marqise Lee (9) is pursued by Fresno State Bulldogs safety Derron Smith (13) on a 40-yard reception in the fourth quarter in the Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium. USC defeated Fresno State 45-20. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This season for the Trojans, Lemon leads the Big Ten and is fourth in the country in receiving with 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns. Lemon’s numbers this season are similar to those that Lee had in his Biletnikoff-winning year in 2012. In that season for USC, Lee collected 118 receptions for 1,721 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Winning the Biletnikoff Award in 2012 for Lee was one of the highlights of his USC career from 2011 to 2013, where he collected over 3,600 yards receiving and 29 touchdown catches. 

“That moment of winning this trophy, in a sense, it's everything. This is something that you probably never asked for, you just want to go to SC, go crazy, go to the league, but this is all part of it,” said Lee.  

Lemon has a strong case to win the award over the other two finalists, which include a pair of wide receivers, Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and UConn’s Skyler Bell. Outside of leading the Big Ten in receiving, Lemon has compiled five 100-plus-yard receiving performances this 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

The star wide receiver has also scored a touchdown in eight out of the 12 games for USC in the regular season. The winner of the Biletnikoff Award will be announced on Dec. 12 during ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards Show.