PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Asked simply what USC wide receiver Makai Lemon wants during the first round of the NFL Draft outside of Acrisure Stadium on Thursday?
“A phone call,” Lemon said.
In the green room of the NFL Draft, all 17 players attending Thursday are assigned an area in what looks like a huge furniture store. The player has a huge couch, couple of chairs and a telephone. A 1990s-esque home phone that is actually plugged into a phone cable. That’s still how NFL teams inform a player of being their selection.
Will it be Lemon for the Steelers?
Steelers officials usually decline to discuss specific players, however when asked Monday during the pre-draft news conference about Lemon?
“Yeah, he was outstanding,” said Steelers GM Omar Khan.
“He was,” said Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy.
“It was excellent time spent,” Khan added.
Was that a smoke screen? Steelers say they don’t do that, however last year the Steelers broke the rule again to discuss Shedeur Sanders and had no interest in drafting the Colorado quarterback.
“I feel like it went good too,” Lemon said. “To really get to know me on a 30 visit seemed genuine. Everyone was cool in the building, I feel like it was a great fit.”
The 5’11”, 192-pound Lemon had the highest production score of all receivers at the NFL Draft. On the field he won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver and was a First-Team All-American. He finished eight in FBS receiving yards (1.156) and ninth in touchdowns (11). Lemon also returned eight kickoffs and six punts.
Pro Football Focus ranks Lemon as the second-best receiver in the draft touting his elite body control and toughness. He would be a pure slot receiver who put up big numbers each of the last couple of seasons at USC. Because of his size, the comparisons are with Detroit All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown. That’s quite a high bar, St. Brown (6’, 202 pounds) has 457 catches for 5,340 yards and 39 touchdowns in the last four seasons with the Lions.
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“He’s one of those great players,” Lemon said Wednesday during the dedication of the donated Hazelwood Green field. “Had so much success, can do literally anything as a receiver. To pick pieces of his game ad add them to mine is definitely what I am doing.”
He said he doesn’t have a feeling for which team might draft him. Most mock drafts show him selected before the Steelers pick at 21st overall. If he would relocate to Pittsburgh, Lemon called that possibility a ‘blessing’.
Biletnikoff Award winner likely 1st round pick
Biletnikoff Award winner likely 1st round pick
