Eagles Have the Beginnings Of A New Dynamic Duo

Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is introduced before the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Eagles Have the Beginnings Of A New Dynamic Duo

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Ed Kracz | Last updated May 1, 2026 12:13 PM ET

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Less than 24 hours after Makai Lemon was drafted in the first round by the Eagles on April 23, he was courtside for Game 3 of the Sixers-Celtics playoff series, seated next to DeVonta Smith, on Friday evening. Fitting, that the Eagles’ present and future were side-by-side getting to know each other.

“We were chopping it up a little bit,” said Lemon on Thursday, the eve of the opening of Eagles’ rookie camp this weekend. “I wasn’t trying to pick his brain too much. He’s chilling. But I definitely got to talk to him, see how things are going, see how the team is.

“He said I’m going to love it. You came to a great organization, a great team, a brotherhood, so I’m super excited to get around the guys and it was definitely great meeting him and chopping it up with him.”

After A.J. Brown, AKA Swole Batman, gets shipped off, probably to New England, a few days into June, Skinny Batman, AKA Smith, will need a new running mate, and it will be Lemon. The expectation is they will be chopping it up as receivers one (Smith) and two (Lemon) in the Eagles’ offense this year.

“Even though he’s not the biggest guy, not the tallest guy on the field, but having that heart makes him such an impact player.,” said Lemon about Smith. “That’s what sticks out to me. Once you have a guy like that on your team, lined up next to you, I feel like that’s only going to make you better. I feel like we can help each other in any way.”

Something else stuck out about Smith, too, during that Sixers game, something Lemon said he could relate to.

Makai Lemon Likes What He's Learned From DeVonta Smith So Far

“Super-humble guy, super chill, super calm; kind of my type of vibe,” he said. “I feel like me and him clicked on those things. When you step on that field, you already know that he got that dawg mentality, so I (think) me and him are going to click, definitely.”

How eager is Lemon to get started? He has already signed his rookie contract.

“It felt like it went smooth, really,” said Lemon about the signing process. “Just going with the flow … I feel like it was the right decision to put the pen to paper; it’s such a dream come true and a blessing. I appreciate the Eagles and my team, how we worked together and got it done.”

If Lemon lives up to his draft status and produces big numbers, he will be a steal after signing for four years for a fully guaranteed $20.8 million, considering what top-level receivers are getting these days.

“Super excited to hit the ground running, get the cleats on my feet and the balls in the air, get around my teammates,” he said. “That’s a great feeling. That’s what I do best on the field. To get on the team, to call a place home, no better feeling.”

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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