Eagles Steal Makai Lemon from Steelers in Wild Draft Night Trade

The NFL Draft is always filled with memorable moments as college players finally find their new NFL homes.

When the Philadelphia Eagles selected USC wide receiver Makai Lemon with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, an embarrassing moment happened for their cross-state rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Phone Call: A Tale of Two Cities

In a video shown on NFL Network and reported by Ian Rapoport, the Eagles' new wideout was seen on the phone talking to Steelers GM Omar Khan.  His family begins celebrating his becoming an NFL first-round pick and his new NFL home in Pittsburgh.

“Why, Philly, calling?” Lemon asks as he is on the phone with Pittsburgh.

That's when Lemon's agent comes running over with his phone to tell him that the Eagles had traded for him and are set to pick him after a trade with Dallas.

Breaking Down the Trade with Dallas

The Eagles swapped first-round picks with the Cowboys, giving them pick No. 23, and added a pair of fourth-rounders, No. 114 and No. 137, to move up and select Lemon, who had a terrific season at USC, posting 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s most outstanding receiver as a junior.

What Makai Lemon Brings to Philadelphia

This selection is likely a strong indication that AJ Brown will be traded, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 20, the Eagles trading Brown to the Patriots “is now considered likely.” Schefter reports that “conversations are expected to resume shortly on or before June 1.”

The reason the June 1 date is important here is it would allow the Eagles to split the $40 million cap hit between 2026 and 2027 rather than taking it all on in one season.

Lemon could have been just too good to let slip any further, with some mock drafts having Lemon going in the Top 15. He is a player who works the slot and is very good in the short and intermediate areas of the field, but has also shown the ability to make plays down the field.

Remaining Eagles Draft Picks

After last night's trade with Dallas, Philadelphia still has five picks remaining over the next two days of the draft.

• Round 2: No. 54 overall
• Round 3: No. 68 (via NYJ - Haason Reddick trade)
• Round 3: No. 98 (Compensatory)
• Round 5: No. 178 (Compensatory)
• Round 6: No. 197 (via ATL - Sydney Brown trade) 

Listen to rounds two and three on Friday night, starting at 7 p.m., and rounds three through seven on Saturday, starting at 3 p.m. on 97.3 ESPN.