LEMON NEVER TAKES EYE OFF THE PRIZE

'Old soul' USC receiver ignores NFL hype and instead focuses on helping the Trojans reach the CFP

- BY RYAN KARTJE

MAKAI LEMON (6) breaks free from Michigan's Brandyn Hillman during USC's 31-13 win on Oct. 11.

(GINA FERAZZI Los Angeles Times)

The drill is simple. Just a basic throw-and-catch warm-up, called "Pat-and-Go," that USC and many other football programs do virtually every day. Quarterbacks loosen their arms, while pass catchers get their legs warm, running routes on air. It's the sort of drill where it's easy enough to slough off a rep or two. Or to get a little casual, like playing catch in the yard.

But when Makai Lemon lines up during Pat-and-Go, there is nothing casual about what comes next. Every rep is taken seriously, every reception reeled in with intention. The junior has taken thousands of these reps, caught thousands of these passes over three seasons at USC, each filed away as a data point for Lemon to later access.

"I don't know that I've ever seen one he didn't catch game-like," USC coach Lincoln Riley said. "Rarely does he ever take a rep that isn't very intentional."

It's a fitting snapshot of the Trojans' top receiver, one that captures more than just his prowess as a football player. Every action with Lemon is deliberate, every detail accounted for. That singular focus has made him the most reliable receiver in college football and, come April, a surefire first-round NFL draft pick, all while somehow maintaining a strikingly low profile for a pass catcher of his caliber.

The truth is, as a natural introvert, Lemon prefers it that way. Head down, eyes ahead, mind fixed first on getting USC to the College Football Playoff before making the leap to the NFL, every move along the way meant to help meet that end.

The work, in time, will speak for itself.

Those who know him best will tell you that's how Lemon has always operated.