There is a lot that can be said of the services that PFF provides. In this instance, they view USC wide receiver Makai Lemon as the Trojan with the strongest likelihood to go in the earlier rounds during the 2026 draft.
They did get one aspect right: Lemon is a good talent out wide, and certainly there will be NFL teams interested in his services. In coach Lincoln Riley's offense and now entering his junior year, the receiver is poised to have a standout type of year.
PFF made two mistakes in this list, however. For one, they listed Lemon as the 44th best player in the upcoming draft class. To have the Trojan as the seventh WR off the board is inherently undervaluing what he's able to do.
Between his skill set and consistent ability to put up big numbers, it is hard to see how Lemon wouldn't be among the top five WRs taken next year. Granted, there is an entire 2025 college football season to play. Draft stock rises and dips by a considerable amount in that time frame.
That is, however, what makes his spot on this list being so low somewhat confusing. Lemon is a consistent option, and it's known that coach Riley will lean toward putting the ball in the air than not. In terms of almost certain production, Lemon will be among the top receivers eligible to be drafted next year.
Not that it matters too much at this point. As mentioned, these are the early stages of the CFB preseason. Now is the time to make projections and analyze everything that is happening in the world of recruiting.
In doing so, it makes it something of a challenge when prognosticating Lemon's value to see how in the 40s on such a list. He will know better than anyone that early impressions in May are not what will ultimately matter anyway.
Big year ahead for USC football and its players
A good season and being a main reason behind a USC College Football Playoff push will see him drafted where he should be. Not just for him, the second issue of this PFF list is the exclusion of any other Trojan teammate.
That's okay for now. USC is being undervalued, and other fan bases are incorrectly blaming the Trojans for the lack of a current agreement between them and Notre Dame for the series. Give it some time; all of these current inaccuracies about the program will work themselves out soon enough.