Football

USC’s Makai Lemon Claims 2025 Biletnikoff Award as Nation’s Top Receiver

by
jpwestmedia
December 13, 2025

USC junior wide receiver Makai Lemon has been named the winner of the prestigious 2025 Biletnikoff Award, recognizing him as college football’s outstanding FBS receiver of the season.

The announcement came during The Home Depot College Football Awards show, broadcast live on ESPN. Lemon becomes just the second Trojan to earn the honor, joining All-American Marqise Lee, who won in 2012.

The Biletnikoff Award, named after Pro and College Football Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff, is open to any pass-catcher regardless of position. Lemon will formally receive the trophy at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet on March 28, 2026, in Tallahassee, Florida.

Lemon’s dominant 2025 campaign left little doubt about his status as the nation’s premier receiver. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), he posted the highest overall grade (90.4) and receiving grade (91.3) among wideouts. He has also earned First Team All-American honors from PFF, On3, and The Athletic.

In regular-season play, Lemon led all Power Four receivers with 1,156 yards and 96.3 yards per game. Within the Big Ten, he topped the conference in receptions per game (6.6), yards after catch (502), and tied for most receiving touchdowns (11). His 19 receptions of 20+ yards ranked third in the Power Four, while his 50 first-down catches tied for the national lead.

The versatile junior added even more flair to his resume, scoring two rushing touchdowns and throwing a passing TD—becoming the first Big Ten player since 2009 to catch two TDs and throw one in the same game (against Oregon).

Lemon recorded five 100-yard games this season (seven in his career) and hit double-digit receptions three times in 2025. Over his USC tenure, he has amassed 137 receptions for 2,008 yards (14.7 average) and 14 touchdowns, ranking 22nd on the Trojans’ all-time receptions list.