Why Makai Lemon’s New Red Flags Are Setting Up A Dream Outcome For Ben Johnson
One thing the Chicago Bears did a great job of last year in the NFL draft was letting the board come to them. In other words, they didn’t reach at positions of need. They stayed true to the talent available and took the best players, even if they might not have been at more pressing positions. That is how they ended up with Colston Loveland and Luther Burden. Both were outstanding as rookies last year. It stands to reason that general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson will stick to the same approach this year. That means positions that may not be considered needs will be taken seriously. Enter Makai Lemon.
Nobody would imagine the Bears would take a wide receiver in the 1st round. However, after losing D.J. Moore to a trade and having questions about Rome Odunze’s health, the team may wish to keep stacking playmakers. Lemon has been penciled in as a top 15 pick for most of the past two months. Yet from what Jeremy Fowler of ESPN is hearing, his stock is a little more volatile than that.
Scouts say Lemon’s tape is excellent, but his measurables and predraft process raise questions.
“What are you getting?” a personnel executive with an NFL team asked. “I love that dude, watching him last year, but evaluating him through the spring, which version of this player will show up in my building? He didn’t test great, had a couple of rough interviews from what I’ve been told. Seems like something is missing, or maybe I’m missing something.”
Another NFL personnel source said Lemon’s recall and detail of USC’s offense was not the strongest during a team interview. If teams love his intensity and competitive demeanor, they could overlook that. Lemon’s strengths are route running, running after the catch and contact balance. And, to be sure, plenty of star NFL players did not conduct great predraft interviews.
Lemon’s 40-yard dash time ranged from 4.46 to 4.53 seconds at USC’s pro day, according to reports. One AFC scout considers him “too small and too slow. Maybe he can overcome that, but it’s an issue.”
Ben Johnson would not fear Makai Lemon.
Let’s start with the obvious appeal. The USC receiver is probably the most polished route-runner in the class. He shows an almost effortless ability to shake defensive backs and create separation with sharp, quick cuts. Every time the Trojans quarterback needed a big conversion, Lemon was the primary read. His fluidity, strong hands, and competitive aggression with the ball in his hands make him difficult to deal with. Unfortunately, this is the draft, and one problem often looms large this time of year.
Measurables.
The harsh reality is there’s nothing special about Lemon. He is on the shorter side at 5’11” with 30-inch arms. That means his catch radius isn’t the best. On top of that, his speed hovers around the 4.5 range. That isn’t bad, but it’s not exciting. Players like that don’t tend to go in the first half of the 1st round. I looked back at some wide receivers with athletic profiles similar to Lemon’s and checked where they were drafted. You’ll find that most of them landed between picks #20 and #43.
| Player | Height / Weight | NFL Draft Pick | Draft Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makai Lemon | 5’11” / 195 lbs | Projected Round 1 (2026) | — |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | 6’0″ / 202 lbs | Round 4, Pick 112 (2021) | Detroit Lions |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 6’1″ / 196 lbs | Round 1, Pick 20 (2023) | Seattle Seahawks |
| Jordan Addison | 5’11” / 179 lbs | Round 1, Pick 23 (2023) | Minnesota Vikings |
| Ladd McConkey | 6’0″ / 185 lbs | Round 2, Pick 34 (2024) | L.A. Chargers |
| Wan’Dale Robinson | 5’8″ / 185 lbs | Round 2, Pick 43 (2022) | New York Giants |
We all know what Ben Johnson accomplished with St. Brown in Detroit. It isn’t crazy to imagine he could duplicate those results with Lemon in Chicago.
Lemon offers multiple good reasons to draft him.
His polish and playing temperament fit exactly what the Bears covet. Johnson’s offense is run through the slot receiver. They haven’t really had anybody who thrives in that role. Makai Lemon would change that. We also know that quarterback Caleb Williams is already familiar with him, having worked together for one season in 2023. This also gives the Bears some insurance regarding their wide receiver room. Odunze still has a lot to prove and must put together a full season before the team can truly consider him a foundational piece.
When we talk about player-team fit, it doesn’t get more obvious than Lemon to Chicago. He would land under a head coach who would know how to use him. His presence would allow Odunze and Burden to play their more natural positions on the outside. The threat he poses would even divert some attention from Colston Loveland, which opponents do not want. Remember, this isn’t a top 10 pick. When you’re picking 25th, the smart thing to do is just take good players.
If Lemon is there, it’s an obvious decision.