Makai Lemon can help Jalen Hurts fix his biggest flaw

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

New Eagles WR Makai Lemon can help QB Jalen Hurts fix his biggest flaw

By Jack Dougherty | Last updated Apr 24, 2026 9:24 AM ET

The Philadelphia Eagles traded up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft to grab USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, and it's easy to see why. Not only will Lemon serve as the replacement for A.J. Brown once he's traded post-June 1, but he's also the perfect player to help Jalen Hurts overcome his weaknesses against zone coverage.

More and more teams have started defending Philadelphia's passing game with zone looks because Hurts isn't a point-and-fire quarterback. The former Super Bowl MVP is an elite deep-ball thrower against man coverage, but he's much slower to process zone coverages and hesitates to let it rip when one of his receivers sits in an open zone.

In 2025, Hurts threw just six touchdowns and three interceptions against zone coverage compared to 19 touchdowns and three interceptions against man concepts. Those touchdown numbers are so far apart despite the Eagles facing zone on 56.2 percent of their offensive plays last season.

As ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Tim McManus highlighted in their recent piece on Hurts and the Eagles, "he has shown a reluctance to let it rip at times, particularly against zone coverage." When teams counter Philadelphia's downfield passing game with zone looks, a team source said, "A.J. disappears."

Opposing defenses are only going to play more zone coverage against the Eagles until Hurts proves he can beat it. That's where Lemon comes in.

How Makai Lemon will fix Jalen Hurts' biggest flaw

Eagles land Makai Lemon. In 2025:

- 73 catches
- 1,156 yards
- 11 TDs

No. 13 on the consensus board. Here’s 2:42 of him smoking DBs. pic.twitter.com/1v5iYmcy4t
— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) April 24, 2026

Part of why Hurts has struggled more against zone is that Brown, his No. 1 target, isn't as effective against those types of coverages. The veteran wideout excels in one-on-one coverage when he can use his size and strength to beat defensive backs to the ball. Brown was primarily used as a deep threat on the perimeter or a quick slant target against man coverage.

Hurts needs a smart, reliable wide receiver who can find open zones in the middle of the field and create big plays after the catch, and those just happen to be Lemon's biggest strengths. The 2025 All-American has an elite feel for space, averaging 3.5 yards per route run against zone coverage last year. He's a quarterback's best friend because he understands how to find the soft spots in zone coverage and routinely makes contested catches in tight windows.

That's not all Lemon is, though.

The USC product is also shifty with the ball in his hands, and he showed an impressive ability to win at the catch point down the field and make back-shoulder catches look easy. Lemon will primarily operate as Hurts' safety blanket out of the slot, but he's willing and able to stretch the defense and take advantage of Hurts' feathery deep ball.

Lemon is the best zone-beating WR in the 2026 class, which is exactly why Eagles general manager Howie Roseman moved up to get him.

Jack Dougherty

Jack Dougherty has been writing professionally since 2015, contributing to publications such as GoPSUSports. com, Centre Daily Times, Associated Press, and Sportscasting. com

More must-reads: