Who is Makai Lemon? What You Need to Know After Missing a Viral Draft Call
Makai Lemon was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2026 NFL Draft … until he wasn't.
The star wide receiver went viral after the Philadelphia Eagles traded down the draft board to grab Lemon, as he was on the phone with the Steelers.
“I was really shocked,” said Lemon after the Eagles defeated their local rival. “Absolutely. I couldn't be happier that they did. I'm so blessed.”
The Eagles traded the No.
A video that went viral on social media shows Lemon and his family celebrating after receiving a call from the Steelers general manager Omar Khan. On the phone with the Steelers, Lemon's agent runs over to give him another phone and tells him that the Eagles traded for him.
The moment quickly became one of the most memorable moments from the first round of the draft.
Keep scrolling to learn more about Lemon:
He played 3 years at the University of Southern California
After a stellar high school football career, Lemon received a scholarship to the University of Southern California and chose to play his college football career with the Trojans.
He originally committed to play at Oklahoma – under the head coach Lincoln Riley — but when Riley left the Sooners to join USC, Lemon followed suit.
He won the 2025 Fred Biletnikoff Award for Most Outstanding Receiver
Lemon put together a successful college football career with the Trojans, culminating in the 2025 Fred Biletnikoff Award in his final season, given to the most outstanding receiver.
He was the runner-up for this award from USC.
Received his 1st College Scholarship Offer as a Freshman in High School
As in college, Lemon was outstanding during his high school years and received his first college scholarship offer during his freshman year.
By the end of his sophomore year of high school, he had 12 offers from the top football programs in the country, including Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas.
Makai Lemon after being selected No. 20 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2026 NFL Draft
Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
New York Giants legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was hospitalized in New Jersey on Friday, April 24, after suffering an emergency, according to TMZ Sports. The outlet doesn't have an update on his condition, but added that those close to him don't seem to mind “whatever he's going through.” […]
Dad Played Football Before Career Was Thrown Into Course Due To Injury
Lemon comes from a sports family – his father, Michael, was a high school football star in California. However, a gruesome injury to his leg threw his career off course. Despite major college football programs withdrawing their interest, UNLV stayed the course and Michael played his college career in Las Vegas.
Additionally, Lemon's uncle, Tim, was a second round pick in the 1998 MLB Draft to the St. Louis Cardinals, and another uncle, Jerry, had a successful football career at Fresno State.
Skip the USC Bowl Game to Prepare for the NFL Draft
It's common for college players to skip their team's Bowl Game to prepare for the NFL Draft, and Lemon did just that after his senior year at USC.
He finished his career in 2008 with 137 receptions and 14 touchdowns.
