Every Philadelphia Eagles fan's first thought when the team traded up to select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft was that he was going to replace A.J. Brown in the lineup once he's traded, but Lemon might be doing more than that.
There was a point in Lemon's college career with the Trojans when he was also a kickoff returner, averaging 27.1 yards per return on 19 returns that season. Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay told the media during his press conference that the kickoff returner job was wide open, as he praised Lemon when he did it for one season at USC.
"Makai, obviously, he had that one year at USC where he was really good," Clay said via Eagles Wire's Glenn Erby. "They had Zachariah Branch, obviously hard to pass up that guy."
Could Makai Lemon also be a threat on special teams?
It really depends on how the Eagles view Lemon on offense. If he is going to start in the slot and be on the field a lot, they should not expose him to more hits on special teams. While guys like DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert might get more targets from quarterback Jalen Hurts early, Lemon is expected to play a big role in the offense.
The kickoff returner role is more reserved now for backup running backs and wide receivers. Last year, several did that, including Will Shipley, Tank Bigsby, A.J. Dillon, and Britain Covey.
There's a chance that Lemon might not just return over, but Clay hinted that Lemon might also be out on kickoff coverage.
"He's out there in the tackling drills," Clay said.
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It's a great look that Lemon is putting in the work to help on special teams, but if the Eagles are serious about him being the future on offense, they have to keep him off special teams and let him focus on being the best wide receiver he can be for Hurts.
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