Players Mentioned
USC Wide Receiver Makai Lemon Named to 2025 Biletnikoff Award Watch List
August 06, 2025 | Football
Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football's outstanding receiver, not merely college football's outstanding wide receiver.
Lemon, one of the nation's most electric all-around players, looks be a leader among the Trojan wide receiver unit in 2025.
Lemon was USC's most versatile player of the 2024 season. The Biletnikoff candidate recorded a team-leading 52 receptions for a team-leading 764 yards (14.7 avg.) and 3 TDs. Lemon also fielded kickoff returns, recording 19 returns for 514 yards (27.1 avg.) with a long of 80 yards. He finished the season ranked No. 6 in the nation in kickoff returns and will be a serious contender for a Paul Hornung Award in 2025. Lemon also ranked No. 16 in the nation (No. 2 in the Big Ten) in combined kick returns (514) and was a crucial member of the punt coverage team downing punts for Ray Guy winner, Eddie Czaplicki. Additioanlly, Lemon continued to prove his versatility by going 1-for-1 in passing attempts, tossing a 39-yard completion to WR Kyron Hudson versus UCLA to set up WR Ja'Kobi Lane to score on the subsequent play. He was selected as an All-Big Ten Offensive Honorable Mention as well as an All-Big Ten Return Specialist Third Team.
The Biletnikoff Award's semifinalists, three finalists and award recipient are selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of 600 prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners and other former receivers. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted.Receivers are frequently added to the watch list as their season performances dictate. Actual, not potential, performance is the basis for inclusion on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.
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