What Eagles Are Getting In Makai Lemon And His Competition for WR2 Role in Rookie Season

Makai Lemon was one of the 15 best players on the Philadelphia Eagles draft board. Makes sense why the front office traded up three spots to get him.

Lemon was in the top tier of players the Eagles were looking at in Round 1, but figured he'd be off the draft board long before the Eagles would even trade up to pick. Hard to fault the Eagles for that logic, considering Lemon was the second-best wideout in the draft in a class loaded with talent at wide receiver.

Once the Eagles realized they could get Lemon, they struck.

"We just felt like this was a player we wanted to go up and get," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said Thursday night. "Obviously when you have a player that you like...you're thinking every pick he's going to be selected.

"We didn't want to sit on our hands. We wanted to go get him."

What type of player are the Eagles getting in Lemon?

The personality

A source told Eagles On SI there's a lot the Eagles will like about Lemon. He's an "all-ball" type of player, who lives and breathes football. How Lemon conducts his business is similar to Quinyon Mitchell, another player on the current roster who is a football junkie.

Mitchell has admitted in the past when he's not playing football or studying football, he's watching football. Those similar traits apply to Lemon, who just wants to play football and continue to master the game.

A communications major, Lemon is a straight shooter with his answers. He doesn't give fluff when he speaks and he's soft spoken. He knows how to be a professional, as his uncle was a second-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1998 MLB Draft while his great uncle was three-time All-Star outfielder Chet Lemon (played for the White Sox and Tigers).

This is a kid who loves football, who thrived learning under Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley. Lemon when decommitted from Oklahoma to follow Riley to USC.

Riley has said Lemon was as good as any of the wideouts he's ever coached, which includes former first-round picks CeeDee Lamb and current Eagles wide receiver Hollywood Brown.

Where Lemon fits into Eagles offense

This is far from a system player. Lemon can thrive in any system thanks to his knowledge of Riley's scheme, which was heavy on the RPO and relying on the quarterback to get him the ball underneath.

Lemon's best position is the slot, where he played an overwhelming majority of his snaps at USC. His route-running is crisp, similar to Eagles teammate DeVonta Smith. Lemon models his game after Amon-Ra St. Brown, who played for USC before Lemon arrived in Southern California.

Similar to Smith, Lemon can play the Z or slot -- which is what the Eagles new passing game will rely on. The Eagles went from a deep-ball reliant passing game to a more horizontal look, with receivers scheming to get open in the middle of the field with yards after the catch. Plays will be made when the ball is in the receiver's hands.

Lemon should be an instant contributor in the passing game, learning the trick of the trade from Smith and Dontayvion Wicks.

The competition for WR2

The Eagles aren't just going to hand Lemon the WR2 role. DeVonta Smith is the WR1 and the focal point of the passing game, but how the targets distributed next to him will be determined.

Wicks is the biggest competition for snaps with Lemon, as the Eagles acquired him earlier this month and gave him a one-year extension worth up to $12.5 million. The Eagles have plans for Wicks in the passing game, as the WR2 and WR3 roles are more prevalent with A.J. Brown on the move.

Hollywood Brown is also in the mix for WR2, but he's slotted more for WR4 since he's on a one-year deal. Brown will be the field stretcher in the offense.

Whether the WR2 role goes to Brown or Wicks, the Eagles have a strong trio of Smith, Lemon, and Wicks.

The Eagles traded up to get Lemon for a reason. They expect him to be a vital part of the offense for the next decade.

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