The first USC Trojan came off the board Thursday in the 2026 NFL Draft. A long night for Makai Lemon finally came to an end. It was not the Los Angeles Rams, as many expected, nor the New York Jets. The Philadelphia Eagles made the decision to trade up with the Dallas Cowboys to pick 20 and get their guy at receiver. A move like that will intensify the speculation around trading A.J. Brown.
Makai Lemon can turn the Eagles’ offense back into an electrifying unit. He is physical, he is as tough as they come, and he can make just about any catch. He plays way bigger than his small frame suggests, and he is quite a versatile threat. Players like Makai Lemon make more of an impact on the team than just the stats.
Devonta Smith enters the season as the Eagles’ No. 1 wide receiver, but Makai Lemon will be able to thrive as the second option. There is potential that he and Devonta Smith can even make a 1A and 1B receiver situation in Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts is entering the season with a lot of doubt and even speculation that he could be on the outs if he struggles in 2026. With Makai Lemon in the mix, Hurts and the Eagles’ offense have a piece who can help them.
The Eagles have great belief that Lemon can be an elite weapon as a rookie, given they traded up with their NFC East rival in Dallas. Makai Lemon had hopes of staying in LA, and maybe hopes of being taken in the first 16 picks, but ending in Philadelphia, a winning organization, is still a great outcome. He will have a chance to win early in his career and be in a position to be extremely productive out of the gate.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC’s Makai Lemon joins Eagles as potential replacement for AJ Brown