In a 2026 NFL Draft class loaded with wide receiver talent, USC’s Makai Lemon is making a strong case to be the cream of the crop. After a standout 2025 season that saw him crowned the best receiver in college football, Lemon is now emerging as a potential top-10 pick - and one team that’s squarely in the mix is the Los Angeles Rams.
NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently dropped his first mock draft, and he has the Rams using their 13th overall pick to select Lemon. It’s a move that would add yet another dynamic weapon to an already potent offense.
Let’s unpack why this pairing makes so much sense.
Lemon’s Production Speaks Volumes
In his final season at USC, Lemon put up 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in just 12 games. That’s not just solid - that’s elite production in a Power Five conference.
But beyond the numbers, what stands out is how he got them. Lemon consistently showed the ability to win at all three levels of the field.
He’s tough over the middle, dangerous after the catch, and savvy enough to create separation against top-tier corners.
Jeremiah highlighted Lemon’s physicality and playmaking ability - two traits the Rams have historically valued in their wideouts. And when you look at the current makeup of LA’s receiving corps, it’s easy to see how Lemon could be the perfect complement.
A Fit in the Rams’ Offensive Machine
The Rams currently boast one of the league’s most exciting receiver duos in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Nacua has quickly become a star, and Adams, even as he enters the later stages of his career, remains a lethal red zone threat and route technician. Adding Lemon to that mix would be, as Jeremiah put it, “almost unfair.”
And he’s not wrong.
Lemon wouldn’t be asked to carry the load right away - a key factor in his potential development. He could ease into the NFL while still contributing meaningfully in a high-powered offense. With Sean McVay calling plays and Matthew Stafford slinging the ball, Lemon would be walking into one of the most receiver-friendly environments in the league.
Stafford has a long track record of elevating his pass catchers - from Calvin Johnson in Detroit to Cooper Kupp and now Nacua in LA. If Lemon lands in this system, he could very well be the next name on that list. The Rams’ offense is built to maximize talent, and Lemon’s versatility and toughness would slot in seamlessly.
Development in the Right Hands
It’s not just about the fit on the field - it’s about the infrastructure around him. The Rams have built one of the most respected offensive coaching staffs in the NFL.
McVay’s tree has produced head coaches and coordinators across the league, and the development pipeline in LA continues to deliver. For a young receiver like Lemon, that kind of coaching can be career-shaping.
And let’s not overlook the fact that Lemon would be staying in Los Angeles. That continuity - from USC to the Rams - could help ease the transition and keep him in a familiar environment as he adjusts to the pro game.
The Big Picture
Sure, the Rams have other needs. But when you’re picking in the top half of the first round and a player like Lemon is on the board, sometimes the best move is to take the best talent available - especially when that talent fits your identity.
Lemon’s toughness, route running, and production make him a high-floor prospect with Pro Bowl upside. And in an offense that already features two elite receivers and a veteran quarterback still playing at an MVP level, he wouldn’t just fit - he’d thrive.
If the Rams do end up pulling the trigger on Makai Lemon at No. 13, it wouldn’t just be a flashy pick. It’d be a smart one. And it might just set the stage for the next great chapter in LA’s offensive evolution.