Big news out of Philadelphia: former USC star wide receiver Makai Lemon is officially an NFL player. The Philadelphia Eagles’ first-round draft pick signed his rookie contract on Thursday, locking in a four-year guaranteed deal that includes a hefty $11.5 million signing bonus, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Selected with the No. 20 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Lemon arrives in the City of Brotherly Love with an impressive resume. This past season, he hauled in 79 receptions for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning Unanimous All-American honors. He also made history by becoming just the second USC wide receiver to win the prestigious Biletnikoff Award, joining Marqise Lee (2012) as the only Trojans to claim the title of the nation’s top pass catcher.
Lemon’s selection continues a pair of remarkable streaks for USC: the Trojans have had at least one player drafted every year since 1939, and at least one player selected in the first three rounds every year since 2002—both among the longest active streaks in college football. He’s also the eighth USC wide receiver taken in the first two rounds of the draft over the past 14 years, and the third Trojan picked in the first round under head coach Lincoln Riley, following Jordan Addison (2023) and Caleb Williams (2024).
In Philadelphia, Lemon joins a loaded wide receiver room headlined by A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. However, with trade rumors swirling around Brown this summer, the rookie could see significant playing time right away. For a player known for his explosive playmaking and sure hands, that’s an opportunity worth watching.
Whether you’re a Trojans fan or an Eagles supporter, one thing is clear: Makai Lemon is ready to make his mark on the NFL.