2026 NFL Draft Day 1 Recap: Eagles Trade Up for Makai Lemon
The first night of the 2026 NFL Draft is in the books and it was certainly one to remember. There were eight trades in the first round of the event, which was the highest total since 2022. Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman got in on the action as he maneuvered up the draft board to make an unexpected selection.
Eagles Trade Up for Makai Lemon
The Eagles traded with their division rival, the Dallas Cowboys, to jump over the Pittsburgh Steelers and select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon. The 21-year-old was actually on the phone with the Steelers when he realized that the Eagles leaped ahead of Pittsburgh to bring him to the City of Brotherly Love. Although both Pennsylvania teams were likely surprised as Lemon wasn’t expected to fall to them.
Many of the well respected draft evaluators ranked Lemon as a top 15 player in this year’s draft class. Yet last year’s winner of The Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver was somehow still available in the 20s. Roseman clearly knew that the Steelers had their eyes on a wide receiver and he wasn’t going to let them turn things sour by poaching Lemon.
Despite sending two day three picks to the Cowboys, Roseman is likely ecstatic with this selection. Given the expected departure of A.J. Brown after June 1st, Lemon now gives the Eagles a formidable wide receiver duo to work with moving forward in Lemon and DeVonta Smith. It’s also worth mentioning that Philadelphia also added Dontayvion Wicks, Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore.
It’s clear that the Eagles are reshaping their wide receiver room with an emphasis on players that can win with quick separation and toughness. Despite being 5’11 1/8” and 192 lbs., there is no denying Lemon’s toughness. He consistently made plays for the Trojans where he knew that he would have to endure a big hit and rarely dropped the ball.
Lemon is also a willing blocker that understands all of the nuances of playing wide receiver. While Lemon isn’t going to run by everyone on a go route, he is an incredibly smart player that understands how to create space and navigate it after the catch. He feels like an ideal fit in first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion’s scheme, which is expected to adapt principles from Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, among others.
In fact, many expected McVay and the Rams to select Lemon with the 13th overall pick. Yet Los Angeles went in a different direction with Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. Lemon is viewed as a perfect fit in a scheme that values quickness, intelligence and toughness. He has drawn comparisons to another former USC wide receiver in Detroit Lions All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown.
If Lemon can develop into the wide receiver that St. Brown has become in the NFL, it’s safe to say that this was a home run pick for the Eagles. Either way, this addition brings some much-needed closure to Philadelphia’s future at the position and it’s going to be excited to see how Lemon fits alongside Smith, Wicks and Brown in 2026 and beyond.
What’s Next for the Eagles?
Despite trading up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Eagles will still have three picks to work with on Day 2. Here are all of Philadelphia’s remaining picks in the event:
Round 2, Pick 54
Round 3, Pick 68
Round 3, Pick 98
Round 5, Pick 178
Round 6, Pick 197
The Eagles are going to have plenty of options to work with on Friday night. Yet after trading away both of their fourth-round picks to move up in the first round, my guess is that Roseman will try to recoup some draft capital with a trade back. I don’t envision the Eagles sitting out the action while nearly 80 picks go by between the 98th overall pick and the 178th overall pick.
While Philadelphia was able to address their need for a wide receiver in the first round, many are still focused on the hole at safety and who will be Lane Johnson’s successor. The Eagles should be able to address both of those spots on Friday night and several players that they’ve hosted on 30 visits could be the names to watch for.
After not selecting a single player that they hosted on a pre-draft visit in the 2025 NFL Draft, Lemon revealed that he visited the Eagles this year. Therefore, here’s a look at all of Philadelphia’s reported 30 visits and a few names to potentially watch for on Day 2.
