When the Philadelphia Eagles traded up to select Makai Lemon with the 20th overall pick, it wasn't because of his 40-yard dash time. It wasn't because of his size. It was because of one thing: his mentality.
"His competitiveness just kind of oozed off of his tape," head coach Nick Sirianni said after the draft. "Insanely competitive."
"They're Gettin' a Dawg"
When asked what Eagles fans should expect, Lemon kept it simple:
"They're gettin' a dawg."
That attitude is exactly what Philadelphia loves. And it's exactly what the Eagles saw on film - a player who competes on every single snap, whether the ball is coming his way or not.
The Play That Sold Howie Roseman
GM Howie Roseman pointed to a specific play that encapsulated who Makai Lemon is as a player. During the Holiday Bowl against Louisville in his freshman year, a defender intercepted a pass. The play was over for most receivers.
Not for Lemon.
He chased down the defensive back from behind - on a play where he wasn't even the target. That's the kind of effort that catches the attention of NFL scouts.
What USC's Coach Said
Dennis Simmons, Lemon's position coach and co-offensive coordinator at USC, knows exactly what Philadelphia is getting:
"He plays the game with a chip on his shoulder. A 40 time is great, but if you can get in and out of your cuts and you play at the same tempo in the fourth quarter and in overtime as you play in the beginning of the game, that 40 time kind of negates itself."
Simmons added: "They're going to get a person that's dedicated and is going to put 100 percent into everything that he's doing."
Lemon on His Own Game
Lemon isn't blind to the criticism about his measurables. At just under 6 feet and without elite speed, some questioned whether he could translate to the NFL. His response?
"The body type, you can get fooled by that. Your heart and your mentality that you approach the game can take you a lot farther than just your height and your size."
Sound familiar? It should. That's the same thing people said about a certain Alabama receiver who fell to the Eagles in 2021.
The Sirianni Fit
There's a reason Sirianni was so excited about this pick. He values competitors above all else.
"A guy that is competitive is not only competitive when the ball is coming to him but he's competitive in all situations," Sirianni explained.
That's Makai Lemon. A player who blocks like his life depends on it. A player who fights for extra yards. A player who chases down interceptions he had nothing to do with.
In other words: an Eagle.
The Bottom Line
Makai Lemon wasn't the biggest receiver in this draft. He wasn't the fastest. But if you watched him play, you saw something special - an intensity that can't be taught.
Philadelphia has a history of taking "undersized" receivers who play bigger than their measurements. DeVonta Smith. DeSean Jackson. Jeremy Maclin.
Don't be surprised if Makai Lemon joins that list.