Jon-Eric Sullivan and the new Miami Dolphins regime have been active in re-signing and adding players to the roster since the league year officially began on March 11. That doesn't mean the front office hasn't been keeping an eye toward the 2026 NFL Draft, however. The latest bit of intel from Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports has provided fans with a glimpse into a player the Dolphins want to get to know a little better.
In the lead-up to every draft, NFL teams are allowed to have up to 30 prospects visit their team facilities to conduct additional interviews and medical testing. If a player is a local product by way of hometown or university, they do not count toward the limit.
Makai Lemon — no relation to Cleo, we hope — is one of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. The 5'11", 192-pound USC Trojan put up eye-popping numbers en route to being tabbed somewhere among the top three receivers in the class, depending on the scouting service. Lemon's stat line — 79 receptions for 1,156 yards (14.6 average) and 11 TDs — makes the Dolphins' interest sensible.
According to Lance Zierlein, NFL.com's draft guru, Lemon's game is very reminiscent of Detroit Lions superstar wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. An AFC scouting director purportedly told Zierlein: "[Lemon] could come in and be one of the top 10 slots in the league on Day 1 of camp, in my opinion. Great hands and fiercely competitive."
Lemon's reputation has taken a bit of a hit with dubious combine reports
For all of his excellence on the field, Makai Lemon was one of the unfortunate targets of the annual "anonymous" hit pieces emanating from the NFL Combine. After his press conference went viral for his unusual demeanor when answering questions, the reports began to trickle in. Draft analyst Robinson L. Whitmore claimed to have heard from four teams that removed Lemon from their draft boards following their interviews.
Todd McShay, whose name certainly carries weight when it comes to the NFL Draft, didn't dismiss the rumors. He called Lemon's podium stuff "flat-out weird," and quoted an anonymous high-ranking executive who placed Lemon behind Ohio State's Carnell Tate and Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson when ranking their interviews.
The silver lining appears to be that the same source told McShay he wouldn't be dropping Makai Lemon on his board because of it, due to the elite nature of what he's placed on tape.
Lemon opted not to run the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, which is not an uncommon decision for highly-ranked wide receiver prospects. He chose to do it instead at USC's Pro Day, where he reportedly was timed between 4.48 and 4.53, according to Dane Brugler of The Athletic. While it's hardly eye-popping, Lemon would not be the first receiver to be wildly successful without an absurd 40-time.
Dolphins fans may question the need for a wide receiver with somewhat overlapping measurables to what's already on hand at the position, coupled with the glaring holes elsewhere on the roster. Nonetheless, the Dolphins have seen enough from Lemon to want to get a second look.
If nothing else, it appears a pairing of Jaylen Waddle and Makai Lemon would give new Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis an even greater chance of success when the season kicks off in September.