What Makai Lemon Means to the Eagles and A.J. Brown’s Future

The pick is in.

After trading up to the 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Makai Lemon, a wide receiver out of the University of South Carolina.

The Eagles traded their 23rd overall first-round pick and two fourth-round picks (114 and 137) in order to jump three spots ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers, along with acquiring a 2027 seventh-round pick.

It was reported that Lemon was on the phone with the Steelers to be drafted, but the Eagles, who met with him at the combine and had him visit the complex, swooped in to grab him.

“First, I answered the phone, and it was the Steelers,” Lemon said to the media after being selected. “And then my phone kept ringing, I looked, and it’s the Eagles. They traded up, and they were going to pick me…

“They really wanted me, so I’m all in. They’re going to get everything that I’ve got.”

With the selection of Lemon, the Eagles have seemingly put A.J. Brown on the trade block. Brown has been rumored in trade talks through the entire offseason with many teams, but especially the New England Patriots, who, under head coach Mike Vrabel, need a star receiver to pair with their future in Drake Maye.

Lemon, paired with DeVonta Smith and their new pickup of Hollywood Brown, will likely be the three starting wide receivers by week one.

“[The Eagles] are going to get someone who wants to compete at a high level, a dog,” Lemon said. “Anything the organization needs me to do, I will do it at a high level. Day in and day out, playing for my teammates and being the best person I can be each and every day.”

Lemon, a 5-foot-11, 192-pound wide receiver, displays a similar build to Smith. And that’s not the only thing they share. While Lemon’s build may be undersized, his hands and ball-tracking make up for it.

The college junior posted 79 receptions, 1,156 yards, and 11 touchdowns in 2025, which included multi-touchdown games. Lemon won the Fred Biletnikoff Award, an award given to the outstanding college football receiver, regardless of position. Notably, Smith won the award in 2020 — the same year he won the Heisman — and Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024.

The 21-year-old only dropped three passes on 175 targets over his final two collegiate seasons, which is exemplary of what enticed the Eagles to trade up and secure him. In 2025, he ranked eighth in the FBS with 1,156 receiving yards and ninth with 11 touchdowns.

At the combine, Lemon posted a 4.50 40-yard dash — not exactly mind-blowing, but solid middle-of-the-pack numbers. The former Trojan will assume the wide receiver No. 2 role, barring an unexpected retention of A.J. Brown. Lemon fits in the No. 2 slot, just as Smith did when the Eagles acquired Brown.

One of his strongly identified traits is his ability to rip off an out-breaking route exceptionally well, which, in case you didn’t see the charts, is one of quarterback Jalen Hurts‘ favorite routes to throw to. Additionally, one of Smith’s best routes is as well.

We can expect to see a less-developed version of Smith, considering his ball-tracking skills, line-up on the other side of “Skinny Batman.” And despite my comparison of him to the 2020 Heisman winner, most of the analysts have compared him to Amon-Ra St. Brown. And if Lemon has any bit of the mentality St. Brown does, the Eagles made an excellent pick.

“It was great vibes. I’m blessed to be here,” Lemon said.

There have been many indications, though none as blatant as this draft pick, that the Eagles will be moving on from Brown after the June 1st deadline, which would allow the Eagles to save over $10 million on his cap hit.

The Eagles’ talks with the Patriots regarding a trade for Brown have been public and prominent. With the recent news about Vrabel and former New York Times reporter Dianna Russini, it was difficult to tell which reports were definite. However, Adam Schefter recently reported that the Patriots will likely land Brown after the June 1st deadline — and the Eagles put the nail in the coffin on Schefter’s scoop with the selection of Lemon.

Brown, who signed a 3-year, $96 million extension with the Eagles in April 2024, running through 2029, was the root of many problems this past season for the Eagles. Reports came out as early as week two that the Eagles locker room was not in good condition — the latest reports being that the preferential treatment of Hurts was unjustified.

No one except the members of the organization can say for sure, but Brown’s inflated idea of himself as a player seemed to cause tension in the locker room. It may be safe to say that the Eagles’ team culture may do better without Brown.

Analysts speculate that Howie Roseman will not be able to exchange Brown for a first-round pick. Still, it’s likely the Eagles’ general manager will receive multiple picks, with a strong likelihood of one being a second-rounder. The question is, how much value can Roseman squeeze out of a player who clearly wants out?

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