The Cleveland Browns had two major problem areas after last year’s disaster of a season. In all, the Browns lost 26 games in the past two seasons. Which all means heads would roll. That became true to form as the head coach and a slew of assistant coaches have now found employment elsewhere.
RELATED: WR CARNELL TATE PROFILE
The offensive line was an issue, especially since four of the Week 1 starters were all on IR and Cleveland had to finish the season with backups and practice squad players.
The receiver
room was another quagmire. To say that it was a problem would be an understatement.
So, this offseason, Browns GM Andrew Berry went to work to help solve the issues with these two groups. In all, Berry signed four offensive linemen in free agency and one receiver. However, WR Tylan Wallace was hired more as a return man than to assist the receiver room.
That means this group is still in a bad situation. What is left is to take at least two capable bodies in the upcoming NFL draft, slated for April 23-25. Cleveland owns the #6 and #24 slots in the first round, and then selects towards the top in Rounds 2-4, plus the very first pick in Round 5.
An offensive tackle has been the most predicted position for both first-round selections. But there have been many mock drafts that give Cleveland a stud receiver at either the #6 or the #24 spot.
RELATED: COREY COLEMAN INTERVIEW
The last time the Browns selected a wide receiver in the first round was Corey Coleman out of Baylor with the 15th pick in the 2016 draft.
The most mocked receiver is Carnell Tate (6’-3”, 195 pounds) of Ohio State, who is a terrific player. He has all the tools to be one of the starting outside receivers in 2026 or take the WR1 label with elite efficiency from the perimeter.
Tate has excellent ball tracking with zero drops this past season, with natural hands.
Another receiver tied to the Browns with the #6 pick is Jordyn Tyson (6’-2”, 203 pounds) of Arizona State. Tyson has 4.5 speed and knows how to get open. He will sell his vertical before breaking underneath.
Tyson tracks the ball just like a centerfielder. His alignment flexibility is a plus. He can line up outside or play the slot, creating space.
Either of these two receivers would fill the void in Cleveland’s receiver room and hopefully play for a decade. However, there is another guy who isn’t getting much love regarding the Browns selecting him with the sixth overall spot: WR Makai Lemon of USC.
NFL draft sites ranking average of the projected first-round receivers as follows:
- #9 – Tate
- #12 – Lemon
- #13 – Tyson
- #24 – Omar Cooper (Indiana)
- #27 – KC Concepción (Texas A&M)
- #28 – Denzel Boston (Washington)
Going against the grain, Matt Miller of ESPN has Lemon ranked as his top receiver. He explained:
“(Lemon) is my top-ranked wide receiver in the class, who goes to the Browns, who are undergoing a youth movement at the skill positions. Lemon can create space for himself and knows how to vary his routes.”
Cleveland’s Lemon-Aid
The majority of NFL draft sites and Browns podcasts have Tate listed as the highest-ranked receiver on the board. Lemon is ranked second. There are a few sites that have this reversed, but not many.
A comparison is needed.
Total games played:
Tate: 39
Lemon: 33
40 time:
Tate: 4.53
Lemon: 4.5
Measurements:
Tate: 6’-2”, 192 pounds
Lemon: 5’-11”, 192 pounds
Total career receptions:
Tate: 121
Lemon: 137
2025 receptions:
Tate: 51
Lemon: 79
Total career yards:
Tate: 1,872
Lemon: 2,008
2025 yards:
Tate: 875
Lemon: 1,156
Total career yards per reception average:
Tate: 15.5
Lemon: 14.7
2025 yards per reception average:
Tate: 17.2
Lemon: 14.6
Total career receiving touchdowns:
Tate: 14
Lemon: 14
2025 receiving touchdowns:
Tate: 9
Lemon: 11
Total career rushing yards:
Tate: 22
Lemon: 4
2025 rushing yards:
Tate: 16
Lemon: 4
Total career rushing TDs:
Tate: 0
Lemon: 2
Total career scoring:
Tate: 84
Lemon: 98
Total career kickoff/punt returns:
Tate: 0
Lemon: 38
Big-10 receiving yards ranking:
Tate: #7
Lemon: #2
Big-10 receiving touchdowns ranking:
Tate: #6
Lemon: #4
Except for rushing stats and average yards per reception, Lemon has better numbers than Tate across the board. And Tate has played a handful more games.
Lemon isn’t getting any love for his production. The bonus is that he is a return man.
The kicker is the number of yards gained per season for both players. Tate has 264, 733, and 875 this past season. Lemon’s numbers for the same seasons are 88, 764, and 1,156. Lemon has the advantage in the final two years when both players were now starting receivers for their respective teams.
And who won the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s best receiver? Lemon.
Breakdown of Lemon’s assets:
Route running: 90% – Will work cornerbacks out of position with excellent cuts.
Hands: 92% – Lemon’s hands are stupid good. He has three drops in 175 targets.
Short receiving: 93% – Finds the soft spots like he is reading the coverage.
Intermediate routes: 94% – Attacks the ball and adjusts his route mid-route.
Deep Threat: 96% – Snaps off breaks without losing speed.
Ball tracking: 95% – One of Lemon’s best traits. He uses this to gain real separation.
Blocking: 65% – Blocks with intent, not just effort. Needs improvement to remain engaged.
Footwork: 91% – Never gets sloppy, and the toe drag swag is automatic.
Needs improvement:
First step: Good, just not great.
Speed: Will build top speed rather than exploding into it.
Size: Not ideal, which means a smaller catch radius.
YAC: Competitive, just not dynamic.
Physicality: Hasn’t seen a lot in the Big-10, so an awakening is soon to come.
Do you think Lemon should be in the discussion for the 6th overall pick?
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