For any team looking to draft Makai Lemon, his stellar 153-yard performance against Iowa is a tape they can look at to see what the wide receiver can do. In the late third quarter, with 3:33 remaining on the clock, Lemon caught a short pass in the end zone for a touchdown, sealing the game. The catch capped off an incredible 82-yard drive, featuring Lemon’s elite route-running, ability to create separation, and explosive running.
His performances earned him a Fred Biletnikoff award along with a unanimous All-American selection. Then, in February, prominent NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. touted him as going 11th overall. But that soaring draft stock would shortly fall when Lemon faced the media at the Scouting Combine. He had a changed “demeanor” as his draft stock began to tank. Now, more than a month since the Combine, Lincoln Riley is trying to help him get the buzz back.
“I mean, I think this guy’s the most versatile receiver in the country,” Riley said on April 18. “Makai. I think it’s his versatility. I think he’s a scheme fit. You can make an argument that there’s really not a scheme in the league that he would not fit in with… He’s really developed. I know there are a lot of teams that are eager to have the opportunity to add him and all the value he brings to their organizations.”
Riley has a long-standing relationship with his former player. He himself had recruited the 5-star talent since his sophomore year of high school. In no time, Lemon repaid his head coach’s faith, notching 764 yards in 2024. And after that incredible Iowa performance, Riley didn’t hold back about Lemon’s receiving prowess.
“I think this guy is the most versatile receiver in the country.”@LincolnRiley on @uscfb WR Makai Lemon’s draft stock. pic.twitter.com/0hDUWJOAoO
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) April 17, 2026
“He’s a fearless player; he always has been ever since I’ve met him when he was a sophomore in high school,” Riley said after the Iowa game, praising his last-minute touchdown play. “He’s worked hard at his craft, and obviously, we all have a lot of confidence in him and our other weapons. You have to step up against a good defense like that and have to go make some of those types of competitive plays.”
Purely analyzing his on-field performances, Lemon is easily the top-3 wide receiver in this year’s NFL draft. He has a way of understanding leverage at the line, making him adept at NFL schemes, and he beats corners like playing in his backyard. Talk about catching ability? He had just 3 drops on 175 targets in the past two years. As for the concerns about Lemon’s unidimensional role in the slot, Lincoln Riley thinks it’s a misconception.
“He can play in the slot, he can play outside, he’s good after the catch,” Riley said about Lemon. His catches are as good as anybody I’ve ever coached, and his route-running ability is all there, and he’s also a really dominant special teams player on top of it.”
Despite skipping drills at the Scouting Combine, Lemon solidified his standing as a top-10 prospect for analysts like Fansided’s Mike Lucianao by running an impressive 4.48 40-yard dash at USC’s Pro Day. That alone should be enough for Makai Lemon’s top-20 draft place hopes. Regardless, his media interview is still generating buzz.
Strong sentiment still brewing against Makai Lemon
The NFL Combine tests more than just 40-yard dash speed and drill performance; it also lets players prove to NFL GMs that they have the character to handle the league’s spotlight. For Makai Lemon, it was akin to a fumble in his NFL draft journey. He had a bizarre demeanor, and he casually responded to questions with “unseriousness.” It was not an interview where Lemon looked like he was in a ‘formal’ setting, pushing speculations about his NFL future.
“Absolutely bombed it, word for word,” former NFL DL Breiden Feheko wrote on X. “I talked to a scout just now who said he didn’t know what Makai Lemon’s motive was behind his combine interviews, but whoever advised the kid needs to be fired.” Another prominent football insider, Anthony Bets, also relayed an NFL team’s view, calling Lemon a “great player” but criticizing his “horrible attitude” and labeling him a “disaster.”
Lemon especially stands out for his ability to catch contested balls, despite being 5’11” and 195 lbs. His ability to generate yards after catch is another plus. But the only thing that seems to be bothering the scouts and GMs is the potential off-field issues he might be having. For now, to make things right, Lemon talked to the media again at the Pro Day and reiterated “faith in the Lord,” saying, “That’s all I can do” regarding his draft stock.
