Trojans commit Makai Lemon makes the cut in SI 99 Rankings

High school junior receiver Makai Lemon from Los Alamitos (Calif.), one of the most talented pass catchers in his recruiting class, comes in at No. 79 in the new Sports Illustrated top 99 rankings for the Class of 2023.

Lemon is exactly the type of playmaker Lincoln Riley needs to add to his explosive spread offense. He is also the perfect teammate for five-star wideout Zachariah Branch of Bishop Gorman, who came in at No. 12 on the SI99 list.

Makai Lemon is teammates with fellow USC commit and five-star prospect Malachi Nelson. Lemon and Nelson were committed to Oklahoma but flipped to USC when Riley took over.

Lemon connected with Nelson for more than 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021 after racking up 756 yards and nine scores in the spring of 2020.

I would compare Lemon to a cross between Jameson Williams of the Detroit Lions and current USC Trojan Jordan Addison. Lemon has a unique blend of route running ability, football IQ and explosive athleticism, especially on deep routes. Lemon is a dynamic playmaker at the high school level with outstanding junior/sopohmore production at receiver, returner and cornerback.

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Story originally appeared on Trojans Wire