Makai Lemon criticized by NFL combine scouts originally appeared on The Sporting News. Click here to add Sports News as your go-to source.
The NFL scouting combine is rarely short of drama, and this year Makai Lemon found himself at the center of it.
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The former USC Trojans star wide receiver was doing his routine interviews with the media when footage of his availability began circulating on social media. The attention he attracted had less to do with his answers and more to do with what some online critics called his “stage presence.”
But the debate escalated when former NFL defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko posted on X that a scout questioned Lemon’s approach during an interview.
“I just spoke to a scout who said he didn’t know what Makai Lemon’s motivation was for doing the combine interview, but anyone suggesting this kid needs to be fired. ‘Absolutely word for word,'” Fehoko wrote.
Whether this assessment will attract the attention of NFL decision-makers remains to be seen. However, lemon production suggests otherwise.
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The 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner had 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season and led the Final Four in yards after catch and yards after the catch (502). A unanimous All-American, he had five 100-yard games and declared early for the 2026 NFL Draft.
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NFL scouts praised Lemon’s accuracy against the run and his ability to create after the catch. Despite the buzz in Indianapolis, most projections still have him easily heading into the first round this April.
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