$1.1 million WR named No. 1 wide receiver in college football

A wide receiver from a major college football program has been named the No. 1 player at the position in 2025.

USC wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) runs for a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The 2025 college football season reached its end one week ago. A lengthy offseason lies between Indiana's victory over Miami in the College Football Playoff National Championship game and the start of the 2026 season.

With the season now in the rearview mirror, outlets from around the college football media landscape are reflecting on it. This includes looking back on the projections laid out prior to the season, assessing individual performances from the season and projecting how the 2026 season may play out.

Pro Football Focus released its list of the 101 best players during the 2025 college football season on Sunday. The list featured former USC wide receiver Makai Lemon as the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 9 overall player in college football.

"While Lemon did not have his best game against Notre Dame, he was the best receiver in the country this season," wrote Max Chadwick. "The Biletnikoff Award winner led all wide receivers nationally in PFF grade (90.8), while his 50 receiving first downs and touchdowns tied for fourth."

The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder was recruited to USC by Lincoln Riley as a top 10 wide receiver prospect in the class of 2023.

USC wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) celebrates after catching a 32-yard touchdown pass against the UCLA Bruins | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lemon appeared in nine games for the Trojans his freshman year, seeing work at both wide receiver and cornerback. He caught a combined 6 passes for 88 yards in USC's games against San Jose State, Nevada and Louisville.

Lemon saw work as both a wide receiver and a return specialist in 2024. He caught 52 passes for 764 yards and three touchdowns while returning 19 kickoffs for 514 yards. Offensively, he received All-Big Ten Honorable Mention while being named to the All-Big Ten Third Team for his work in USC's return game.

2025 was a breakout season for Lemon as a wide receiver. He caught 79 passes for 1,156 for 11 touchdowns while rushing for two more scores on the ground. He still helped the Trojans in the return game, running back eight kickoffs for 144 yards and six punts for another 71 yards.

Lemon's NIL compensation from USC is the second highest on the team at $1.1 million. Only quarterback Jayden Maiava earned more at $2.2 million.

As Chadwick mentioned, Lemon's most notable accomplishment in 2025 was winning the Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in college football, fending off Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State and Skyler Bell of Connecticut. In addition to the Biletnikoff Award, he received All-Big Ten First Team honors, unanimous All-American honors and Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.