Emeka Egbuka | Ohio State 6’1” 202lbs. 10/14/2002 (22)
Emeka Egbuka was drafted 19th overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, becoming the third wide receiver and 19th overall player in the 2025 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
| Year | Games Played | Receptions | Yards | Yards/Catch | TDs |
| 2021 (FR) | 10 | 9 | 191 | 21.2 | 0 |
| 2022 (SO) | 13 | 74 | 1,151 | 15.6 | 10 |
| 2023 (JR) | 10 | 41 | 515 | 12.6 | 4 |
| 2024 (SR) | 16 | 81 | 1,011 | 12.5 | 10 |
Before attending Ohio State, Egbuka served as a five-star recruit and top 10 national prospect in his recruiting class. During his Freshman season, he primarily served as a lead kick returner, earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten Conference honors in that field. Egbuka saw limited time on offense, as he slotted in behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Marvin Harrison Jr. on the team’s depth chart. He broke out during his Sophomore season, hauling in 74 receptions for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns alongside Harrison Jr. and Julian Fleming. He ranked ninth in the FBS in receiving yards and finished Second-Team All-Big-Ten, and was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player). As a Junior, Egbuka took a big step back, as he missed three games due to an ankle injury. He saw a dip in production (41 receptions, 515 yards, and four touchdowns) but still managed to finish Third-Team All-Big-Ten. Last season, as a Senior, he was a major contributor to Ohio State’s run to a National Championship. Egbuka finished Third-Team All-Big-Ten again, as he hauled in 81 receptions for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns playing second-fiddle to Jeremiah Smith. His 205 career receptions are an Ohio State school record.
FILM
STRENGTHS
Great speed and route running abilities. Varies tempo and uses a ton of shoulder fakes to draw in defenders before making cuts to open space. Soft hands, doing a superb job extending his frame while showcasing his natural ball-tracking abilities. Excels against zone coverage, often finding the soft spot regularly against zone schemes. Has above-average footwork and does a great job hand-fighting against press coverage. Decent YAC receiver who displays a nasty stiff arm on would-be tacklers.
WEAKNESSES
Tends to struggle at times against more physical defenders. Average quickness in and out of breaks. Takes too long to accelerate at times. Although he does a good job hand-fighting, Egbuka has limited experience against press coverage. Struggles to sustain blocks too often. Durability may be a concern, considering the time he missed during his Junior season.
ATHLETIC TESTING
At the NFL combine, Egbuka measured in at 6’1” and 202 lbs, which equates to a BMI of 26.3. Egbuka did not participate in any drills at the combine, but he did at his Ohio State Pro Day. Although some scouts recorded him with a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, his official time came out to be 4.50 seconds (70th percentile), equating to a 98.5 speed score (67th percentile). Egbuka also finished his collegiate career with a college dominator score of 26.1 percent (42nd percentile).
Egbuka doesn’t show any elite traits, but he exhibits many great ones. His 40-yard dash showcases his solid speed. At his Pro Day, he ran a blazing 4.12-second 20-yard shuttle. His leaping abilities were also on display, as he recorded a solid 38” vertical jump.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Good
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Below Average
Egbuka was selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Surprisingly, Tampa Bay added Egbuka to a wide receiver room that already includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan. This move makes sense for the future, considering Evans is getting older, and Godwin has a history of suffering major injuries. But the emergence of McMillan last season creates uncertainty about how large Egbika’s role will be right away.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Egbuka received a late first-round grade from me before the draft, and I had him as the third-ranked wide receiver behind Tetairoa McMillan and Travis Hunter.
In your rookie drafts, Egbuka is a late first-round pick in standard and Superflex Leagues. The only players I would consider drafting ahead of him are Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Ashton Jeanty, Omarion Hampton, Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson, Travis Hunter, Tetairoa McMillan, Colston Loveland, and Tyler Warren. Before the draft, Egbuka was a bit higher on my rankings, but the landing spot should push him down boards somewhat. If you aren’t in win-now mode, drafting Egbuka makes sense since it should take him a little longer to become a dynamic fantasy asset.
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