Reasons Why USC Trojans Wide Receiver Makai Lemon Deserves More National Attention

The leading receiver in the Big Ten finished his Saturday performance with four catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Lemon proved he can go long, or receive short and take it the house.

Lane, an equally dynamic receiver for USC, shared what makes a receiver like Lemon a threat after the catch, noting his passion and competitive energy stands out.

"I think his ability to want it more than other people, just with the willingness to break tackle and really get it going," Lane said after the Georgia Southern game. "You don't find many people of his caliber that are able to run a 12 yard curl and then take it 74 yards to the house. So just his his God-given ability mixed with the fact that he wants it more than other people is the reason why he's so good."

Lemon currently leads the conference in receiving yards with 248, ahead of Illinois's Hank Beatty, Rutgers' Ian Strong and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith.

What makes Lemon an elite talent among the rest is his strength at primary punt returner and his route-running ability, which pairs well with Lane who thrives in red zone situations.

Lemon’s Skill Set Positions Him as a First-Round NFL Draft Pick

Lemon's performance against the Eagles showcased a variety of skills he posses as a receiver, his yardage after the catch, ability to break tackles and forcing defenders to miss.

For college football analysts at Pro Football Focus, Lemon is tabbed as one of their week 2 standouts, as well as a strong candidate for a first round 2026 NFL Draft pick.

"He had 115 yards after the catch with four broken tackles. He is just an elite, maybe the best slot receiver that we have in college football right now," PFF analyst Max Chadwick said. "And Trevor Sikemma thinks, right now, he is the best wide receiver in the 2026 NFL draft. If he keeps playing like that, he probably will be a first round pick in 2026."

Maiava and Lemon have found a strong connection on the field that delivers success, and through just two games, their receiver to quarterback connection is get even stronger.

Lemon's 2024 season was his breakthrough that tabbed him as an elite receiver early — finishing 13 games with 54 receptions for 752 receiving yards and three touchdowns. While his touchdown total is lower, his 700-plus yards attest to his impact on the Trojans’ offense.

If Lemon's performance continues in this direction, between him, Lane and Maiava, they could become one of the most explosive and elite air raid offenses in the conference, let alone college football.