The New Orleans Saints’ wide receiver room seems to end the season depleted every season.
If Chris Olave goes down, the Saints are left with practice-squad receivers to try to make plays. That was until last season, however. In 2025, head coach Kellen Moore made a big effort to add to his receiver corps.
In trades for Devaughn Vele and Ja’Lynn Polk, along with bringing in Trey Palmer on waivers. While they did trade away Rashid Shaheed, they were able to get good value out of the deep-threat wideout.
So it’s no surprise that NFL insider David Jeremiah continued the Saints trend of adding playmakers for second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. In his Newest mock, Jeremiah has New Orleans taking USC wide receiver Makai Lemon eighth overall.
Lemon would be just the second receiver off the board here, with only Ohio State’s Carnell Tate going before him.
Lemon would primarily play in the slot in the NFL, fitting nicely between Olave and Vele. Some label him as undersized, but he doesn’t play like it. He’s a 6-foot-4 contested catch receiver in a 5-foot-11 receiver’s body.
Lemon has secure hands and can jump with about any defender to make a play on the ball. He isn’t afraid of contact either. He’s fearless and will make catches in the middle of the field even with defenders lurking. And most importantly, he’s a willing run blocker.
In 2025, Lemon ended his junior season with the Trojans, catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Saints may have already attempted to make adjustments for their wide receiver room, but it’s time they spend quality resources on a high-quality player. Lemon is a perfect fit for the Saints’ offense and could be a great pairing with Shough.
Jeremiah had New Orleans taking Lemon over other often-mocked players such as Jeremiyah Love, Caleb Downs, and Jordyn Tyson.