The NFL scouting combine is an important time for athletes to take their draft stock to a whole other level, or justify the high slot they have. There are arguments for where USC football star Makai Lemon should land, and in many of those, he is right around the third-best receiver in his class. One draft scout believes he has the answer.
In a recent tweet, NFL draft scout Matt Miller listed his top receiver rankings heading into the scouting combine. He seems to hold former Trojan Makai Lemon in high regard, as he comes in as the top-ranked receiver. Here is how his list came out:
“Pre-workouts, my top 5 WRs are: 1. Makai Lemon, USC 2. Carnell Tate, Ohio State — 3. Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State — 4. Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana 5. Denzel Boston, Washington.”
In this draft class, there is almost no wrong answer with how good some of these athletes are, especially in the first round. Receiver is a position that will be in high demand as many teams are looking for that number 1 option at receiver for their young quarterback.
Makai Lemon is viewed as the top guy in this list for many reasons. He is a receiver that can do all the things you need your top guy to be able to do. The most important trait he may have is his toughness and physicality. He does not play like a receiver, and that will take him a long way. In today’s NFL, many receivers do not shy away from the diva stereotype that is placed on that position. Makai Lemon is far from that.
It also helps that he is as elite a playmaker as they come. Each and every comparison he gets is a player who had a great run in the league or is still on a tear, like in the case of Amon-Ra St. Brown. While it may not be the popular answer, there is still a case for Makai Lemon being the top guy in this class.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Makai Lemon is ranked best receiver in 2026 draft class by NFL scout
Reporting by Micah Huff, Trojans Wire / Trojans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
