Top 100 WR Makai Lemon to USC: "This a dream come true"

Makai Lemon grew up wanting to be a USC Trojan. The four-star out of Los Alamitos (Calif.) had questions and concerns around the program he grew up following entering his junior season when he wanted to make his decision.

The No. 41 prospect in the On3 Consensus gave numerous schools a look, and in August, Lemon committed to Oklahoma. He loved the vibe in Norman, and more than anything, he loved the idea of playing for Lincoln Riley.

With Riley moving from Norman to L.A., Lemon will get the best of both worlds. He can play for Riley at the school he grew up dreaming of playing for.

“This is a dream come true,” Lemon told On3. “From the time I came out of the womb, I loved USC. My parents and a lot of my family are big USC fans, so I have been watching them play since I can remember.

“For me to get to play for USC, coach Riley, and coach (Dennis) Simmons, it is all like a dream coming true right now. It is a great feeling.”

This feeling is a little bit different from the one Lemon had over the summer when he committed to Oklahoma. This is USC and this is home.

“This is definitely a big one for me, and this commitment does feel different. USC was what it was all about for me growing up, so to say I am committed to the hometown school is a great feeling.

“I loved Oklahoma, and it is a great school, but this is USC. This is what I have been dreaming about.”

Lemon is the third commitment for USC since Riley took over. Lemon’s teammate Malachi Nelson got it started Wednesday, then 2022 wide receiver Raleek Brown made the move Thursday.

Friday was Lemon’s day.

“I knew I was going to USC when coach Riley made the move, and this was just the right time. I talked to my parents about it, and I thought it would happen a little later, but it felt right.

“This is the right time to do it. I knew it. I felt it. USC is where I want to be, so there was no reason to wait.”

Makai Lemon felt right in the USC uniform

Growing up a fan, Lemon has attended games in The Colesium and he is familiar with the campus, but he got back on it Wednesday, and it felt different.

“Putting on that USC uniform felt right,” Lemon said. “I did the photoshoot, toured the campus, checked out the dorms, walked around The Colesium, and everything was great.

“I watched practice, I toured the village, and I walked up to the top of the stadium. There was so much that stood out. It was just a great feeling.

“It had been a while since I visited USC, so getting back on campus definitely gave me the feeling was right that I was having.”

Lemon knows about the history. He knows about a lot of the legends that played at USC. It was not about Marcus Allen, Reggie Bush, Keyshawn Johnson, Junior Seau or OJ Simpson when he was growing up dreaming about being a Trojan.

He was watching Adoree Jackson, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Robert Woods. It is his time now.

“It is still hard to believe and this is such a blessing for me. USC has had so many greats play for them, and I am aware of a lot of them, and now I get my shot.

“It still feels like a dream for me. I can call myself a USC commit. It is easy to say and it feels great.”

Now, Lemon just wants to bring a championship back to USC.

“I want to win a National Championship, fill the stands again, bring back the energy, and show the country what USC is all about.

“That is what we are going to do. I am going to make these dreams come true in my own city.”