Inside USC Trojans Receiver Makai Lemon Quiet Approach to Greatness

Lemon is all about football and is laser focused on every aspect of improving his game, hence the clear elevation on a year-to-year basis. This past season, Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the top receiver in college football. He is driven to be the best, simple as that. 

“I take this game very serious. It’s the way I feed my family, so I ain’t gonna let nobody in front of me take that away from me,” Lemon said at the combine. 

The Southern California native never had character concerns in his three seasons at USC. His work ethic was second to none. Lemon was all about the details and it’s the way he practiced. Whether it was running routes on air or going through pregame warmups, he attacked every rep as if he were playing in a game on Saturday. In fact, Lemon’s approach is the standard that tight ends/inside receivers coach Chad Savage uses for his current players. 

“The type of player you are in practice, that's going to translate to the games on Saturday, and he was just so consistent with how he did everything,” Savage said. “I think that's why he's going to get his name called pretty early in the draft.”

Lemon doesn't want to talk about himself in interviews. He deflects praise because it is always about moving onto what is next and doing what is best for the team.

Lemon even played some cornerback during his freshman season out of necessity. It’s been a team-first mindset since he arrived in the 2023 cycle. He’s a valuable returner and someone that is electric anytime the ball is in his hands. 

What Did Makai Lemon Prove at the Combine?

Lemon had a light but productive day on Saturday. He did not participate in testing, but he did take part in position drills. 

Lemon crushed the gauntlet drill. After dropping the first pass, which the broadcast mentioned came from North Dakota quarterback Cole Payton, a lefty, whose ball spins differently.

Nonetheless, the rest stuck to his hands like glue. He maintained a good speed and snagged one up high. Overall, it was smooth and straight down the line. Lemon ran good routes and made a tremendous hands catch on a deep pass that drew a strong reaction. His strong and natural hands standout on tape and were on display in Indianapolis.

Lemon is expected to have a much busier day at USC’s Pro Day on March 12. All eyes are going to be on his 40-time, as scouts want to see his straight-line speed. And then the three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle will display his short area quickness and agility. Lemon did not do the vertical jump or bench press at the combine as well. 

Lemon, Ohio State's Carnell Tate and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson are the consensus top three receivers in this year's draft. The race will continue to heat up as the draft process moves to pro days and top 30 visit stages.