USC’s Makai Lemon Added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List

by Isabella Lyons

University of Southern California’s junior wide receiver, Makai Lemon, was selected for the Biletnikoff Award Watch list today. The prestigious award honors the top receivers in college football. Lemon may find himself among the ranks of former winners such as Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson and Ja’Marr Chase.

Lemon had three touchdowns and led the team with 52 receptions and 764 yards in the 2024 season. Among receivers with 25 or more catches, he led the Trojans in efficiency with 14.7 yards per reception.

In the Trojans’ victory against Rutgers University, Lemon tallied 4 receptions for 134 yards and a long of 70, his longest of the season. In a close loss against the University of Notre Dame, he had 9 receptions for 133 yards. Lemon was crucial in defeating Texas A&M in the 2024 Las Vegas Bowl with 6 receptions for 99 yards.

As a kick off returner, Lemon totaled 19 returns for 514 yards, including a long of 80. He finished the season ranked sixth nationally in kickoff return average and enters 2025 as a strong candidate for the Paul Hornung Award, given annually to the nation’s most versatile college football player. Notable recipients of this award include two-time awardee Travis Hunter, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith.The Biletnikoff Award is usually announced in early/mid December by the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee. And although Lemon is the only USC receiver to make the watch list so far, receivers are frequently added to the list based on performance throughout the season so fans may see other notable players of USC’s offensive like Ja’kobi Lane added later on.