How Eagles stole Makai Lemon from Steelers while WR was on phone with Pittsburgh

How Eagles stole Makai Lemon from Steelers while WR was on phone with Pittsburgh originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

One phone call likely altered Makai Lemon's destiny of playing in eastern Pennsylvania vs. the west half of the state.

The USC wide receiver wound up being selected with the No. 20 pick in Thursday's first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, with the Philadelphia Eagles trading up from No. 23 to grab Lemon as a likely A.J. Brown replacement.

However, picking at No. 21, the Pittsburgh Steelers were reportedly talking with Lemon at the moment the Eagles moved up — leading to Howie Roseman grabbing the receiver before the 2026 draft's hosts even had a chance to take him.

Here's how Philadelphia wound up taking Lemon while he was talking to the team's in-state rival, the Steelers.

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Eagles trade up for Makai Lemon while WR talks on phone with Steelers

The NHL isn't the only sport where Philadelphia has had a recent upper hand over Pittsburgh. According to Ian Rapoport, there was a good reason the Eagles moved up to No. 20 in the first round, trading up three picks with the : the Steelers were making plans to select Lemon at No. 21.