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Eagles Trade Up to No. 20 to Draft USC WR Makai Lemon

The move signals Philadelphia is preparing to trade A.J. Brown after June 1 to ease the cap hit.

Overview

  • Philadelphia moved from No. 23 to 20 on Thursday in a deal with the Cowboys, sending picks 23, 114 and 137, to select Biletnikoff winner Makai Lemon.
  • Lemon’s arrival is widely read as a step toward an A.J. Brown trade, with multiple outlets pointing to the Patriots as a likely destination after the June 1 cap window.
  • The 5-foot-11, 192-pound receiver caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2025 and projects as an early slot starter or WR2 next to DeVonta Smith.
  • Pre-draft reports noted uneven interviews and a viral combine podium moment, which Lemon called a learning experience as he stressed growth and professionalism.
  • The pick caps a busy offseason at receiver that added Dontayvion Wicks, Marquise Brown and Elijah Moore, and follows GM Howie Roseman’s past trade-ups to secure targeted players.