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USC’s Makai Lemon Wins 2025 Biletnikoff Award
December 12, 2025 | Football
LOS ANGELES—USC junior wide receiver Makai Lemon was named the winner of the 2025 Biletnikoff Award, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced today (Dec. 12).
The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. 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.
Lemon was announced as the winner during The Home Depot College Football Awards show which was broadcast live on ESPN.
He has also been named a First Team All American by PFF, On3 and The Athletic.
Lemon is USC's second-ever recipient of the Biletnikoff Award. USC's first winner, All-American wide receiver Marqise Lee, won the award in 2012.
He will receive the Biletnikoff trophy at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet and Celebration at the basketball arena at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Fla., on March 28, 2026. College Football Hall of Famer Raghib "Rocket" Ismail will deliver the keynote address.
The award is named after Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame. He was a consensus First Team All-American receiver at Florida State University and an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns in his 14-year Raiders career from 1965 through 1978. Biletnikoff was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI.
Lemon has showcased himself as the nation's best receiver. Per PFF, Lemon is the highest graded wide receiver in college football holding an overall grade of 90.4 and the nation's top receiving grade of 91.3. The First Team All-American and Biletnikoff winner finished the regular season leading the Power Four in receiving yards (1,156) and receiving yards per game (96.3). He also led the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.6), yards after catch (502) and is tied for most receiving TDs (11).
Lemon finished the regular season third in the Power Four with 19 receptions of 20+ yards, and he was tied for first nationally with 50 catches for first downs. In 2025, Lemon scored 11 receiving TDs, 2 rushing TDs and threw a passing TD. Lemon is the first Big Ten player to catch 2 TDs and throw a TD in a game (versus Oregon) since Minnesota's Eric Decker versus Cal on Sept. 19, 2009.
He recorded five 100-yard receiving games this season and seven in his career. He has been in double digits in receptions 3 times in 2025. In his career, he's recorded 137 receptions for 2,008 yards (14.7 avg.) with 14 TDs, and he currently ranks 22nd on USC's career receptions list.
The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. 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.
Lemon was announced as the winner during The Home Depot College Football Awards show which was broadcast live on ESPN.
He has also been named a First Team All American by PFF, On3 and The Athletic.
Lemon is USC's second-ever recipient of the Biletnikoff Award. USC's first winner, All-American wide receiver Marqise Lee, won the award in 2012.
He will receive the Biletnikoff trophy at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet and Celebration at the basketball arena at Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Fla., on March 28, 2026. College Football Hall of Famer Raghib "Rocket" Ismail will deliver the keynote address.
The award is named after Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame. He was a consensus First Team All-American receiver at Florida State University and an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns in his 14-year Raiders career from 1965 through 1978. Biletnikoff was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI.
Lemon has showcased himself as the nation's best receiver. Per PFF, Lemon is the highest graded wide receiver in college football holding an overall grade of 90.4 and the nation's top receiving grade of 91.3. The First Team All-American and Biletnikoff winner finished the regular season leading the Power Four in receiving yards (1,156) and receiving yards per game (96.3). He also led the Big Ten in receptions per game (6.6), yards after catch (502) and is tied for most receiving TDs (11).
Lemon finished the regular season third in the Power Four with 19 receptions of 20+ yards, and he was tied for first nationally with 50 catches for first downs. In 2025, Lemon scored 11 receiving TDs, 2 rushing TDs and threw a passing TD. Lemon is the first Big Ten player to catch 2 TDs and throw a TD in a game (versus Oregon) since Minnesota's Eric Decker versus Cal on Sept. 19, 2009.
He recorded five 100-yard receiving games this season and seven in his career. He has been in double digits in receptions 3 times in 2025. In his career, he's recorded 137 receptions for 2,008 yards (14.7 avg.) with 14 TDs, and he currently ranks 22nd on USC's career receptions list.
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