USC standouts Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane drafted; UCLA has no players selected for first time since 2012

USC's dominant 2026 NFL Draft class highlighted a stark contrast across Los Angeles: the Trojans sent three players to the league, while crosstown rival UCLA had zero players selected for the first time since 2012.

Wide receiver Makai Lemon, the Trojans' second-ever Biletnikoff Award winner, was selected with the No. 20 overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, who traded up to grab him. Lemon caught 131 passes for 1,928 yards and 14 touchdowns during his two full seasons at USC. He joins a loaded Eagles receiving corps alongside DeVonta Smith, AJ Brown, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Elijah Moore, and recently acquired Dontayvion Wicks.

Lemon said he was nearly picked by the Steelers before the Eagles traded up. "I feel like everything happened for a reason. They traded up, so it means a lot that they really wanted me," he said.

His counterpart Ja'Kobi Lane went to the Baltimore Ravens in the third round at No. 80 overall. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Lane projects as a deep threat for Lamar Jackson. Safety Kamari Ramsey rounded out USC's drafted class, going to the Houston Texans in the fifth round.

Nine additional Trojans signed as undrafted free agents, bringing USC's total NFL pipeline to 12 players this year.

UCLA, meanwhile, endured a humbling weekend. After a dismal 3-9 season that left them at the bottom of the Big Ten standings, not a single Bruin heard their name called across seven rounds. Defensive tackle Gary Smith III and offensive lineman Garrett DiGiorgio signed as undrafted free agents with the Raiders and Jaguars, respectively.

What This Means For You: The talent gap between USC and UCLA has rarely been this visible. For USC fans, the draft was a validation of a roster-building philosophy that keeps producing NFL talent. For UCLA fans, it's a sobering data point in a program that needs a serious reset — starting with the players on the field.