The opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of the team.

Draft season is upon us, and the Washington Commanders have a chance to grab one of the best playmakers in this year's class.

The Commanders' 2025 season did not go as planned following their NFC Championship performance in 2024. A mixture of injuries and overall performance resulted in them finishing with a 5-12 record, including an eight-game losing streak from Weeks 6-14. Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters promised that changes would be coming, and so far, they have restructured their coaching staff with David Blough and Daronte Jones in as the new offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively. Their next task is to retool the roster, with changes likely coming on both sides of the ball.

The Commanders' first-round pick, which is the No. 7 overall selection this year, will play a critical role in that. There are several positions they could address with the pick, from pass rusher to receiver, but regardless of who they take, there's a good chance that player will be an immediate contributor.

Over the next few months, Commanders.com will highlight one mock draft from a draft expert each week to delve into how that player would fit with Washington. This week, we're sticking on the offensive side of the ball to break down one of the best wideouts in the class.

WR Makai Lemon, USC

Although the Commanders addressed several positions during free agency, the majority of their moves were dedicated to the defense, and rightly so. The unit struggled throughout the 2025 season and finished near the bottom in most major categories.

But the Commanders are also looking to surround Jayden Daniels with weapons, and while players like Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson will help, they are not considered answers to the need. The Commanders still need a quality No. 2 option to pair with Terry McLaurin, and this year's No. 7 overall pick might be the best way to find it.

Most analysts have Ohio State's Carnell Tate as the best receiver on the board, and Pro Football Focus' Gordon McGuinness did have him available to the Commanders in his latest mock draft. However, he had the Burgundy & Gold going in another direction -- USC's Makai Lemon.

"Lemon, the first wide receiver off the board in this mock, earned an elite 91.4 PFF receiving grade in 2025, placing him first among 432 qualifying college receivers," McGuinness wrote.

Lemon, a former Under Armour All-American and Polynesian High School Player of the Year finalist, didn't do any of the main drills at the combine, but the stats he put up at USC are enough to get people interested in his future NFL career. He went from being a reserve player with the Trojans to one of their most dynamic weapons, catching 79 passes for 1,156 yards -- the eighth-most among FBS receivers -- and 11 touchdowns. It earned him several accolades, including the Biletnikoff Award for being the top receiver in the country.

The Trojans put him all over the field, but he spent the majority of his time in the slot, where he could use his quickness, route running ability and patience to get open in the middle of the field. There were few players better than Lemon last season. He ranked fifth among FBS receivers in the slot, where he played 70.6% of his snaps, with a grade of 90.3, and quarterbacks had a passer rating of 109.8 when targeted -- the fifth-best among any receiver.

According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, an AFC scouting director said that Lemon could become "one of the top 10 slots in the league on Day 1 of camp," but there are signs that he could be more than an inside threat. Despite having an average frame at 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, Lemon had one of the best contested catch rates among receivers with at least 100 targets. He caught 10 on 15 contested targets, giving him more than Jordyn Tyson -- another receiver getting first-round consideration -- and KC Concepcion.

Lemon also knows what to do with the ball in his hands. He had the 11th-most yards after the catch -- about 300 more than Tate had last year -- and had the ninth-best average depth of target. He also did well against man coverage, catching 20 of his 28 targets last year with five touchdowns -- tied for the fourth-most in college football.

Zierlein sees similarities between Lemon and another former USC slot receiver: Detroit Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown.

"Lemon has room for refinement, but not much," Zierlein wrote. "He's intelligent, confident and polished with the ability to make plays on all three levels. Tempo-driven route-runner who misdirects man coverage and separates out of turns but is fairly average after the catch. Quicker than fast, featuring early acceleration to open seam throws but flashes late burst when needed."

One of the main questions surrounding Lemon is whether he is worth taking in the top 10 as a player who operates mostly out of the slot. Jaylen Waddle, who was recently traded to the Denver Broncos, was taken No. 6 overall after playing extensively in the slot at Alabama, but most teams are hesitant about using that kind of capital on such a player. St. Brown, for example, wasn't drafted until the fourth round of the 2021 draft, despite having 2,270 yards and 16 touchdowns in college.

But St. Brown's draft class was stacked at wide receiver with three receivers going in the top 10. This year will be a bit different with defensive players dominating the top of mock drafts, but there's little, if any, debate about whether Lemon is a sure-fire first-round pick.

"This kid is a warrior who plays with passion," ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. wrote of Lemon in his big board story. "I'd want Lemon on my roster. He snatches the ball away from his body in an attacking manner then runs with a fierce approach after the catch."

In terms of how Lemon could fit into Washington's offense, it might not matter specifically where he plays. The Commanders need weapons, no matter where they line up on the field. And Lemon, even if he does end up being a "slot specialist" in the NFL, is certainly a weapon.

"He wins more combat catches than he loses," Zierlein wrote. "Lemon is a plug-and-play, quarterback-friendly talent with first-round value and Pro Bowl upside."

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