The Philadelphia Eagles knew when general manager Howie Roseman traded up to go get USC wide receiver Makai Lemon in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft that they were getting someone special.
Lemon was considered one of the top receivers in the draft as he comes in as the more than likely replacement for A.J. Brown, but no one knows how truly he will be more than his former college head coach, Lincoln Riley. While appearing on 97.5 The Fanatic, Riley was asked about what Eagles fans are going to love most about Lemon, and his response is exactly what everyone wanted to hear.
"He loves ball, and is all about that. He doesn't get caught up in a lot of the other stuff... He doesn't do it for ratings, he doesn't do it for social media followers, he doesn't do it for money. This guy just loves the game."
Lincoln Riley made it easy for Eagles fans to love Makai Lemon
Last season was a memorable one for Lemon under Riley as his head coach for the Trojans, as he won the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the nation's best wide receiver and was an unanimous All-American selection. Lemon finished the season with 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns.
One thing about Lemon that everyone has noticed is that he's not the biggest or fastest receiver on the field, but he does all the small things right. He's got great hands and can make any play on the field when the ball is thrown to him.
The Eagles need a receiver they can rely on, especially as they head into an offensive transition with a new play-caller and almost all new pass catchers. Philly has added Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, Elijah Moore, and rookie second-round pick Eli Stowers to the roster this offseason to give this offense a different dynamic.
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Among those new players, though, it's Lemon who will have the most pressure and eyes on him as he replaces A.J. Brown. If Lemon can live up to the expectations and do everything Riley says he can do, the Eagles are about to get a dynamic player on offense.
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