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USC Wide Receiver Makai Lemon Named Biletnikoff Award Finalist
November 25, 2025 | Football
LOS ANGELES – USC junior wide receiver Makai Lemon has been named one of three finalists for the 2025 Biletnikoff Award, presented to college football's outstanding receiver by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot or inside receiver, wing back, or running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award.
Joining Lemon as finalists are UConn's Skyler Bell and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith.
The winner will be announced on Dec. 12 on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN and then honored at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet & Celebration on March 28, 2026, in Tallahassee, Fla.
Lemon, an All-American candidate, is also a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award.
Per PFF, Lemon is the highest graded wide receiver in college football holding an overall grade of 90.6 and the nation's top receiving grade of 91.6.Â
Lemon leads the Power Four in receiving yards (1,124), receiving yards per game (102.2), and first downs by a receiver (49). He also leads the Big Ten in receiving TDs (10) and receptions per game (7.09) and yards after catch (502). Lemon is second in the Power Four with 18 receptions of 20+ yards.
Against Oregon, Lemon showed off his versatility, scoring twice through the air and even throwing a third TD himself. Lemon is the first Big Ten player to catch 2 TDs and throw a TD in a game since Minnesota's Eric Decker versus Cal on Sept. 19, 2009.Â
This season, Lemon has scored 10 receiving TDs, 2 rushing TDs and thrown a passing TD.Â
He has five 100-yard receiving games this season and seven in his career. He has been in double digits in receptions 3 times in 2025.Â
In his career, he's recorded 136 receptions for 1,976 yards (14.5 avg.) with 13 TDs, and he currently ranks 22nd on USC's career receptions list.Â
Lemon is looking to be USC's second winner of the Biletnikoff Award, joining Marqise Lee, the 2012 recipient. The Trojans also have had 5 other finalists for the award:Â Â Keyshawn Johnson in 1995, Mike Williams in 2003, Dwayne Jarrett in 2005, Robert Woods in 2011 and Michael Pittman Jr. in 2019.
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Joining Lemon as finalists are UConn's Skyler Bell and Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith.
The winner will be announced on Dec. 12 on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN and then honored at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet & Celebration on March 28, 2026, in Tallahassee, Fla.
Lemon, an All-American candidate, is also a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award.
Per PFF, Lemon is the highest graded wide receiver in college football holding an overall grade of 90.6 and the nation's top receiving grade of 91.6.Â
Lemon leads the Power Four in receiving yards (1,124), receiving yards per game (102.2), and first downs by a receiver (49). He also leads the Big Ten in receiving TDs (10) and receptions per game (7.09) and yards after catch (502). Lemon is second in the Power Four with 18 receptions of 20+ yards.
Against Oregon, Lemon showed off his versatility, scoring twice through the air and even throwing a third TD himself. Lemon is the first Big Ten player to catch 2 TDs and throw a TD in a game since Minnesota's Eric Decker versus Cal on Sept. 19, 2009.Â
This season, Lemon has scored 10 receiving TDs, 2 rushing TDs and thrown a passing TD.Â
He has five 100-yard receiving games this season and seven in his career. He has been in double digits in receptions 3 times in 2025.Â
In his career, he's recorded 136 receptions for 1,976 yards (14.5 avg.) with 13 TDs, and he currently ranks 22nd on USC's career receptions list.Â
Lemon is looking to be USC's second winner of the Biletnikoff Award, joining Marqise Lee, the 2012 recipient. The Trojans also have had 5 other finalists for the award:Â Â Keyshawn Johnson in 1995, Mike Williams in 2003, Dwayne Jarrett in 2005, Robert Woods in 2011 and Michael Pittman Jr. in 2019.
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