April 23, 2026
Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
The Eagles are adding a wide receiver — meaning AJ Brown is as good as gone.
With the 20th pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected USC WR Makai Lemon. The Eagles traded up three spots from 23 to 20 with the Dallas Cowboys to select Lemon, giving up a pair of fourth-round picks (picks 114 and 137).
Lemon has inside-outside versatility, though he's deadlier from the slot. He's a good route runner, has good hands, and he's a menace with the ball in his hands after the catch. He is also an ultra competitive player, which no doubt appealed to the Eagles' coaching staff. Lemon has drawn some comparisons to fellow USC alum Amon-Ra St. Brown, and you can see why below in his highlight reel below:
Lemon was also highly productive in 2025, catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 TDs. He won the Biletnikoff Award for being the most outstanding receiver in the country. He also returned kicks for USC.
In the 2020 draft, the Eagles infamously selected Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson because they thought Jefferson was a high volume slot guy. In that case they got the evaluation of the player wrong, as Jefferson is so much more than that. Lemon projects as a high volume slot receiver, so the Eagles prioritization of receiver traits has clearly changed since then, and Lemon should be a good fit in what we perceive new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion's offense will look like.
Of course, it has been clear for a while now that the Eagles are going to trade A.J. Brown after June 1. If there were any doubters left about that reality, the selection of a receiver in the first round should put a nail in that coffin.
Eagles depth chart updated here.
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