The NFL Combine might have been cursed for a few of its biggest stars. One of these unlucky prospects is USC’s Makai Lemon, who has established himself as one of the top WRs on the draft board. After reports of disastrous interviews at the NFL Combine sent his draft stock tumbling, USC wideout Makai Lemon now has earned a host of chances at redemption.

According to the draft analyst Tony Pauline, Lemon had scheduled official Top 30 visits with 10 teams before he hit the field on USC’s Pro Day. Among those 10 are the Titans, Browns, Commanders, Saints, Dolphins, and Rams. Lemon will have to convince them that he is still someone they should be looking at in these meetings, since the ones he attended at the Combine were allegedly no good.

According to former DL and now draft analyst, Lemon “bombed” his interviews at the Combine, adding that whoever was advising him in this matter should be fired. Analyst Robert L. Witmore claimed that four teams were no longer considering him after the interviews with him. And, Lemon also caught flak for his stage presence when he was speaking to the press, which also became viral. Lemon’s stock is taking a hit for reasons that have nothing to do with his talent.

The former USC WR’s situation is similar to that of Browns QB Shedeur Sanders. The latter was also reported to have given bad interviews, with some team sources singling out his attitude. That played some part in him sliding down to Day 3 in the 2025 draft. When it comes to Lemon, he has talents that properly seat him as a Round 1 pick, which should help him avoid Sanders’ trajectory in the draft. Combine interviews don’t usually cripple a prospect’s stock, but they shouldn’t be ignored either.

The Rams seem to be sympathetic to Makai Lemon at this time. “At the combine, you’re usually getting some version of a personality,” General Manager Les Snead said, who was at USC’s Pro Day. “A lot of times it’s, ‘This is my interview personality,’ and that’s not necessarily who they are 365 days a year.”

Despite the interview concerns, teams can’t ignore his on-field production. A Biletnikoff Award winner, Lemon’s physicality and poised catching ability, which helped him rack up over 1,100 yards, are exactly what GMs look for in a reliable target. He’s not the speediest, but he is extremely physical. Lemon keeps his feet on the ground, letting the ball come to him. His poised catches turn every reception into a lot of yardage. According to Pauline, Lemon did very well in pass-catching drills at Pro Day. That’s why the WR can’t be written off just because he did not say the right things at these interviews.

The star WR will hope to get off on the right foot with some of the teams he’s scheduled visits with. However, he might already be setting his eyes on a team on the opposite coast.

Makai Lemon dropped subtle hints about his favorite NFL team

Lemon has never explicitly mentioned whether he had a destination in mind for the draft. But at USC’s Pro Day, he might have left some crumbs. The WR wore a Yankees cap throughout the event, and he’s also headed to an official 30-visit with the Giants. The team has the No. 5 pick in the first round and has been linked to Lemon in mock drafts. They need a WR, and who better than a top talent who also seems to love New York?

After losing Malik Nabers to a season-ending ACL tear and seeing Wan’Dale Robinson now gone in free agency, the Giants should add an explosive pass catcher to help quarterback Jaxson Dart in his second season. Lemon said at the Combine that getting a chance to play would be a “huge blessing.” He also looked forward to being part of a young group of players on the team. 

The Giants, of course, can also veer towards Carnell Tate if he is available at No. 5. That would mean Lemon would be pushed further down the chart, but Tony Pauline shared that the farthest he can go is No. 13, which is where the Rams are waiting. We already know that this team does not have a problem with Makai Lemon’s interviews, and the GM has also seen for himself what he brings to the table. Will the local hero stay home, or will he be whisked away to New York? We’ll have to wait and watch.