I’ve written a lot of articles in my still-new journalism career; nearly 200 here at the Daily Trojan and north of 400 in total.

However, in a decade or so, when I’m hoping to capitalize on a previous interview subject’s recent success in a post on X or the equivalent, I’m pretty confident which story will be linked. I’d bet money on it. My whole DT stipend, even.

A quasi-feature on Makai Lemon’s consistency, confidence and stability amid what ended up being a very unstable season for USC football; that’d be my bet.

Lemon is a very likely first-round selection in April’s NFL Draft, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him make multiple All-Pro teams and become a national star. The Biletnikoff Award winner has been projected as high as mid-single digits, and a recent ESPN projection had him at No. 16.

Any team would be lucky to have him — perhaps even the nearby Los Angeles Rams, who have the No. 13 pick.

He’s a hard worker, and he’s about as consistent as it gets. I meant what I said in the lead of that feature, he is “a man of few words, yet many yards.”

So, what a shock it was to see the ridiculous criticism sent Lemon’s way after NFL Scouting Combine media availability in late February.

Lemon’s stoic, perhaps a-bit-too-nonchalant-for-soundbites persona once forced me to scrap a full-length feature on the superstar, yet remains fully professional and unproblematic. Now, somehow, that has become a hit to his reputation. 

A major one. At least, online.

Some made fun of Lemon, saying he was trying to seduce teams, uninterested, aggressive or a combination of the group.

“[He] absolutely bombed it,” a scout supposedly told former LSU defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko, according to his X post.

I understand thinking Lemon’s small size might limit what he’s able to accomplish in the NFL, though I think it would be crazy to write off one of the most dominant players in college football last year simply for that. He averaged almost 100 yards and one touchdown a game last season. That’s in the Big Ten. 

But saying his character and demeanor are a reason not to draft Lemon, like some social media “influencers” suggested soon after the viral interviews, is ridiculous.

The eye contact and swaying were a little bit odd, I’m not going to lie. But that’s all.

If he said at least one or two things that raised concern, my concern would be, well, raised. If even one person in my massive daily dosage of USC-sports-related social media criticized what he was saying, rather than a bit of an odd vibe, I’d at least hear the criticism out.

I haven’t.

In fact, all I’ve seen is defense of Lemon, at least from those who have interacted with him outside of the fateful February interview.

His only post on his X account, where he follows literally nobody, is a repost of Roddy Rich saying simply “stay solid regardless.” That sounds about right.

Lemon always attributes his success to “God-given talent,” so much so that it has seemingly become his mantra, as he repeated in an interview with USC Athletics after USC Football’s Pro Day on March 12. 

He talks positively about USC, Lincoln Riley and junior quarterback Jayden Maiava. He stays humble. Teammates like his quasi-protege sophomore wide receiver Tanook Hines have only amazing things to say about him.

Outside of what will probably stay a vague first-quarter benching of Lemon and fellow future NFL receiver Ja’Kobi Lane in USC’s regular-season finale against UCLA, later explained by Riley as a “violation of team policy,” Lemon’s USC career has been spotless. I don’t expect anything different from his NFL career.

In a story Riley told reporters in October that perfectly encapsulated Lemon’s work ethic, the coach recalled the star receiver’s intensity in a drill called “Pat-and-Go.” 

It’s often used as a warm-up. Receivers hit a go route and work on their catching technique. Quarterbacks prepare their arms for the days to come. 

Riley said Lemon has taken thousands of “Pat-and-Go” reps. He couldn’t recall a time Lemon didn’t take one as if it were in a game.

“You could tell he’s out to truly get better, not just get through the practice,” Riley said. “That’s hard to teach.”

After Pro Day, multiple NFL executives and experts told the Los Angeles Times that, unlike the rhetoric pushed by many online, people with power didn’t see Lemon’s Combine interview persona as a negative. In fact, an anonymous team executive quoted in the story appeared to see it as a positive.

“We don’t want a guy who’s phony and coached up,” the executive told the Times. “As long as he’s not a jerk, we love it.”

Rams General Manager Les Snead told the Times interview personas are often different from what the athlete is typically like, making it unlikely anything he said would significantly impact his draft stock.

So, whether Snead’s local squad ends up getting the superstar wideout, or some other team, I’d expect to see Lemon’s name in headlines again soon. And it won’t be for eye contact.

Sean Campbell is a sophomore writing about all facets of USC sports in a voice- and reference-heavy style in his column, “A Wannabe Sports Writer,” which runs every other Friday. He is also an associate managing editor at the Daily Trojan.