The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to have a collection of players they'd love to select with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, Makai Lemon has to be near the top of the list. The USC product is coming off a spectacular season while possessing the hands, route-running, grit, and physicality at the catch point that could make him a lethal receiving option at the next level.
Unfortunately, this dream could be foiled before it ever truly had a chance to heat up.
On Tuesday, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that Lemon is working out for the New Orleans Saints and has already worked out for the Washington Commanders. Rapoport continued that the USC star visited with the Cleveland Browns last week and will be visiting the Tennessee Titans this week.
What do all of these teams have in common? Apart from being underwhelming organizations in recent years, they are all picking within the top-8 of the 2026 NFL Draft. This gives a clear indication of how early Lemon could be off the board.
And just like that, the Lemon-to-Steelers dream feels dead.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will likely need to trade up in Round 1 if they want to select USC WR Makai Lemon
There's no guarantee that Lemon will slip far enough in the NFL Draft to fall within striking distance of a potential trade-up. However, this feels like the only way a team like Pittsburgh, picking in the 20s, can land the star receiver at this point.
The good news is that the draft can be hard to predict... and all it takes is for a team to choose a different direction when they're on the clock.
Lemon will hardly be the only player that teams like the Saints, Commanders, Browns, and Titans will meet with. While his pre-draft visits suggest he could go as high as pick No. 4 to the Titans, recent draft boards and mock drafts suggest the teams picking that high will go for a player who's considered higher on the consensus board.
Cleveland holds the No. 6 pick, which feels like the first realistic landing spot for Lemon, but they also need offensive line help and could opt for a player like Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling or even Miami OT Francis Mauigoa, if he's still on the board.
This means that Lemon would still need to slip past teams like the Commanders and Saints at picks No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. If he does, the Steelers possess the firepower in draft capital to move up and grab him at that point.
Still, based on the way things are trending, it's unwise to expect Makai Lemon to be a realistic option for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Too many teams are desperate for wide receiver help. It's starting to look like the only way for Omar Khan to land the USC star would be in an aggressive trade-up move.