NFL Draft 2026: Eagles trade up with Cowboys, take USC wide receiver Makai Lemon as A.J. Brown rumors swirl

The Philadelphia Eagles traded with the rival Dallas Cowboys for the No. 20 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday and selected USC wide receiver Makai Lemon.

The Eagles sent the Cowboys the No. 23 pick, the No. 114 pick (fourth round) and the No. 137 pick (fourth round) in return. The Eagles also got the Cowboys’ 7th-round pick in the deal.

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Is A.J. Brown on the way out?

Lemon joins an Eagles team that already features three-time all-Pro A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith, who’s tallied 1,000-plus yards in three of his five NFL seasons. They don’t have a need at wide receiver as their roster is constructed.

But Brown has repeatedly expressed his displeasure with Philadelphia’s offense, and rumors have swirled that he’s on the trade block this offseason. Philadelphia’s selection of Lemon will only further fuel those rumors.

Lemon broke out as a junior at USC and finished the season as a unanimous first-team All-American and the winner of the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s most outstanding receiver. In 12 games, Lemon tallied 79 catches for 1,156 yards.

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“They’re getting a dog,” Lemon told ESPN when asked what the Eagles should expect from him. “This is ready to work, for real. I ain’t doing no playing.”

Lemon ran an unofficial 4.46 40-yard dash as this USC pro day. He doesn’t possess tremendous size at 5-foot-11. But he’s perhaps the most skilled wide receiver in the draft with exceptional ball skills, route-running and hands who wins contested balls.

He projects as a plug-and-play NFL player from Day 1 and could provide the Eagles with a new starter and target for Jalen Hurt if they indeed decide to part with Brown.