One position that the Los Angeles Rams will have to consider in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is wide receiver. With Davante Adams getting older, Puka Nacua on the verge of a market-setting contract, and the lack of depth at the position, it would not be surprising to see the Rams take a wide receiver early.
However, it’s not just about the Rams finding a wide receiver, but one that fits within the current offense. While mock drafts aren’t always accurate or the best reflections of player fits within teams, one player that has consistently been mocked to the Rams is USC wide receiver Makai Lemon.
In most years, a player like Lemon would make sense for the Rams. As someone who played at USC, Lemon is someone that the Rams should be more than familiar with as well. He’s a good route-runner, shows toughness working over the middle, and is competitive at the catch point.
Despite having attributes that would normally make him the perfect Rams wide receiver, his skillset may not fit within the current offense. This is partially what makes the draft complicated. It’s not simply about drafting talented players. Schematic fit and where that player slots into the current team-build are just as important. Too often teams draft players based on talent alone and then try to fit a square peg into a round hole, resulting in that player busting.
That’s not to say that would happen if the Rams drafted Lemon, but he’s almost too similar to Puka Nacua for it to make sense. Much like Nacua, Lemon can struggle against press and man coverage. While he can win vertically, it’s also not his strength. Additionally, Lemon is projected solely as a slot receiver at the next level. As Matt Harmon of Reception Perception wrote,
“Now, where Lemon does trail a bit behind these guys is with his 70% success rate vs. press coverage…Lemon saw press more often and didn’t fare as well. While he’s tough as anyone and competitive to fight through most jams at the line, there are times when the length and initial burst are still limiting factors.”
The skillsets of Lemon and Nacua almost overlap too much. The Rams could certainly move Nacua more to the outside to compensate for Lemon. However, doing so would limit Nacua’s overall value to the offense. The Rams utilized Nacua much more in the slot last year than they did in his first two seasons. Including the postseason, Nacua played 36.1 percent of his snaps from the slot last year, which was over a six percent increase from his 29.9 percent in 2024.
Nacua will dominate and be effective wherever the Rams play him. At the same time, by being able to move him around and utilize him in the slot, they were able to take Nacua’s game to the next level. Nacua wasn’t just a good slot receiver last season, but arguably the best in the NFL. In 2025, 31.8 percent of Nacua’s targets came from the slot which was the second-highest rate in the NFL. He led the league in yards per route run from the slot with 3.47. Not that PFF grades are gospel, but Nacua’s 96.7 receiving grade from the slot was five points better than the next closest player.
Essentially, the Rams were able to maximize Nacua by moving him around and using him more in the slot with the result being a unanimous First-Team All-Pro selection. The only way Lemon makes sense is if the Rams don’t foresee themselves paying Nacua over $40 million per year with his extension. Again, Nacua and Lemon are almost too similar in their projected roles. Two things can be true here. Makai Lemon is a very good player. At the same time, the fit may not be there with the Rams.
If the Rams want to maximize their receivers, they need different skillsets. It’s partially how the Rams got the most out of Adams and Nacua last season. Adams was able to win on the outside, be the player who wins against man coverage consistently, and provide an option in the red zone. Nacua remains the Rams’ ‘gotta have it’ player who wins in the dirty areas over the middle of the field.
What the Rams need at wide receiver is someone who can either develop behind Adams as a true ‘X’ receiver who can flex occasionally as a ‘Z’. If they don’t want a true ‘X’, with Tutu Atwell leaving, they need a ‘Z’ that can stress defenses vertically and win on the outside.
Sean McVay is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL. If the Rams were to draft Lemon, he’d almost certainly figure it out. However, if the Rams want to continue maximizing Nacua and what he does best, Lemon may not be the best fit at wide receiver.
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