USC Wide Receiver Makai Lemon and Quarterback Jayden Maiava Named Finalists for 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year

LOS ANGELES—USC WR Makai Lemon and QB Jayden Maiava have been named finalists for the 2025 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry that epitomizes great ability and integrity.

In 2022, former Trojan DL Tuli Tuipulotu was named the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.

WR Makai 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 All-American candidate and Biletnikoff finalist 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 (and led all Biletnikoff finalists in both stats). 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.

Throughout the 2025 season, QB Jayden Maiava recorded 247-of-373 (.662) for 3,431 yards with 23 TDs. Maiava is No. 1 in the nation with a 91.2 QBR. He finished the regular season leading the Big Ten in passing yards (3,431), passing yards per game (285.9), passing yards per completion (13.89) and total offense (298.4). Great throws beat great coverages, and Maiava's precision and athleticism display just that. His accuracy is showcased through his excellent ball placement and timing in his high-value and high-difficulty passes as he finished the regular season No. 2 in the nation with 26 big time throws, per PFF.

The finalists were selected from a watch list of nearly 100 players by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, comprised of Jack "The Throwin' Samoan" Thompson (Chairman, former NFL player and Inaugural Inductee), Coaches Ron McBride and Dick Vermeil, former NFL player and Inaugural Inductee Olin Kreutz, Inaugural Inductee and past NFLPA president Kevin Mawae, former NFL player and Class of 2015 Inductee Ray Schoenke, sportscaster Neil Everett, NFL Network Chief National Reporter Steve Wyche and former NFL Player and Class of 2023 Inductee Manti Te'o.

The winner of the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award will be announced on Dec. 16, 2025. The formal presentation of the award will be held at the 2026 Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Celebration Dinner (Jan. 17, 2026) and they will be recognized during the Polynesian Bowl (Jan. 16, 2026).

Players Mentioned

Makai Lemon

Jayden Maiava