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Steelers Go Public With Interest in USC WR Makai Lemon Ahead of Draft

Pittsburgh’s on-the-record praise points to wide receiver as a live option at No. 21 with room to trade up.

Overview

  • GM Omar Khan, speaking Monday after Makai Lemon’s official visit, called the USC receiver “outstanding,” while new coach Mike McCarthy said “He was awesome.”
  • Multiple expert mock drafts place Lemon in range of Pittsburgh’s No. 21 pick, though analysts note he could go earlier and might require a move up.
  • Pittsburgh’s roster still needs a receiver behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., and a neck issue for tackle Broderick Jones has raised urgency at offensive line.
  • Lemon is the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner after a 2025 All-American season with 79 catches, 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, and scouts project him as a pro-ready slot or Z receiver built on precise routes and reliable hands.
  • The Steelers hold 12 picks, including three in Round 3, giving them the capital to trade up if Lemon becomes their top target to round out the passing game.