USC Trojans Fans Will Love Makai Lemon's Predicted NFL Team

USC Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon is tabbed as one of the most valuable wide receivers in this year's NFL Draft class. In a recent mock Draft, Lemon's projected team happens to be in USC's backyard.

USC Trojans NFL Draft Receiver Makai Lemon Lincoln Riley Los Angeles Rams NFL Draft Puka Nacua Davante Adams Sean McVay | Southern California Athletics vi

USC Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon was one of the nation’s top receivers last season, leading the Big Ten in receiving yards nearly all year.

Now, the 2025 Biletnikoff Award Winner has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, and will most likely be one of the first receivers picked in the first round. NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid predicted Lemon to join one of the hottest NFL teams in the country, in Lemon's backyard.

Makai Lemon Predicted To Get Drafted By Los Angeles Rams

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) runs for a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Lemon is a Southern California kid at heart, growing up in Los Alamitos, California and played for USC for three seasons. Originally, Lemon was committed to Oklahoma to play for coach Lincoln Riley, but when Riley accepted the head coaching job at USC, Lemon flipped his commitment shortly after and stayed close to home.

Now, one of the most talented teams in the NFL could potentially be a landing spot for Lemon, as Reid predicts Lemon to be the No. 13 overall pick, selected by the Los Angeles Rams. Even though the Rams are in the NFL Playoffs, their trade with the Atlanta Falcons from last April landed them the No. 13 pick.

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The Rams are currently the No. 5 seed in the NFC, and roster some of the NFL's most elite wide receivers, including wide receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. However, Adams will be a free agent following the 2026 season, meaning Los Angeles will be on the hunt for an elite wide receiver as they prepare for the NFL Draft.

Makai Lemon with the sharpest of sail routes.
>Eyes to sell inside
>Crazy efficient footwork through the break https://t.co/R7ONp4d9NW pic.twitter.com/CrM44q1AFV

— JetPack Galileo (@JetPackGalileo) January 3, 2026

Reid's analysis for Lemon heading home to Los Angeles paves way for Lemon's aggressiveness on the field, and his ability to makes catches possible in any given coverage.

"(Makai) Lemon could jump right in to join (Davante) Adams and Puka Nacua. He has a high-level understanding of how to win against all types of coverage and makes contested catches. He had only one drop on 110 targets (79 catches), and his 21 forced missed tackles ranked 13th among FBS receivers. Lemon is labeled as a slot receiver but can play throughout the formation," Reid wrote in a recent NFL Draft predictions article.

Why Lemon Could Fit With Los Angeles Rams

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) on the field following a game against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Lemon's playing style features a wide range of traits, from his yards-after-catch ability to his smaller frame paired with aggressiveness at the catch point, Lemon is a competitor that bolstered USC's offense. Similar to Nacua, who is a strong and competitive wide receiver under quarterback Matthew Stafford's offense, Lemon and Nacua could very well make make the Rams air-raid offense unstoppable.

Joining the Rams with one more season left for Adams could create a breakthrough opportunity for Lemon, who would have one season alongside the veteran wide receiver, and then shift right into a starting role.

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay stands on the sidelines against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

This season alone, the Rams rank first in the NFL across all passing categories: Points, points per game, total passing yards, passing yards per game, total offensive yards and offensive yards per game. As well as Stafford's impressive season, Rams head coach Sean McVay remains one of the most talented offensive minded coaches in the NFL.

Like McVay, Lemon's played under an offensive heavy coach in Riley, and displayed exactly what a Biletnikoff winner under Riley looks like this season. A chance for Lemon to play under a coach like McVay could build an elite NFL wide receiver very quickly.

While it was not the College Football Playoff season for USC, Lemon still cemented himself as a valuable pick in the NFL Draft, and could make for an immediate competitor in Los Angeles.