PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) \u2013 Asked simply what USC wide receiver Makai Lemon wants during the first round of the NFL Draft outside of Acrisure Stadium on Thursday?<\/p>\n
\u201cA phone call,\u201d Lemon said.<\/p>\n
In the green room of the NFL Draft, all 17 players attending Thursday are assigned an area in what looks like a huge furniture store. The player has a huge couch, couple of chairs and a telephone. A 1990s-esque home phone that is actually plugged into a phone cable. That\u2019s still how NFL teams inform a player of being their selection.<\/p>\n
Will it be Lemon for the Steelers?<\/p>\n
Steelers officials usually decline to discuss specific players, however when asked Monday during the pre-draft news conference about Lemon?<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, he was outstanding,\u201d said Steelers GM Omar Khan.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was,\u201d said Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was excellent time spent,\u201d Khan added.<\/p>\n
Was that a smoke screen? Steelers say they don\u2019t do that, however last year the Steelers broke the rule again to discuss Shedeur Sanders and had no interest in drafting the Colorado quarterback.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like it went good too,\u201d Lemon said. \u201cTo really get to know me on a 30 visit seemed genuine. Everyone was cool in the building, I feel like it was a great fit.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 5\u201911\u201d, 192-pound Lemon had the highest production score of all receivers at the NFL Draft. On the field he won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation\u2019s top receiver and was a First-Team All-American. He finished eight in FBS receiving yards (1.156) and ninth in touchdowns (11). Lemon also returned eight kickoffs and six punts.<\/p>\n
Pro Football Focus ranks Lemon as the second-best receiver in the draft touting his elite body control and toughness. He would be a pure slot receiver who put up big numbers each of the last couple of seasons at USC. Because of his size, the comparisons are with Detroit All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown. That\u2019s quite a high bar, St. Brown (6\u2019, 202 pounds) has 457 catches for 5,340 yards and 39 touchdowns in the last four seasons with the Lions.<\/p>\n