Emeka Egbuka is an elite rookie receiver this season, but his talents extend beyond the sidelines. In a recent article, Tyler Dunne provided a detailed account of the meteoric rise from a regular eighth-grader to a star receiver in the NFL.
Ohio State has hosted many outstanding NFL receivers in recent memory. Garret Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, and Marvin Harrison Jr., just to name a few. Ebguka has more receiving yards and receptions than anyone at Ohio State, including these phenoms.
During the draft process, Tampa Bay knew exactly who they wanted: "Tampa Bay really, really coveted Emeka Egbuka with its 19th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft," Dunne wrote.
This pick has paid massive dividends this season as Egbuka boasts three 100+ yard games since Week 4 while leading all rookie receivers in yards and touchdowns. In Week 10, Egbuka was double-teamed by a safety over the top and star cornerback Christian Gonzalez for most of the game. The rookie caught six passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.
"He's everything you could want. There's really nothing that he's not capable of doing," Bucs Assistant General Manager Rob McCartney said.
Buccaneers' replacement for Mike Evans has officially arrived
Egbuka is a phenomenal football player, but he's a man of many talents, including self-control. Dunne documented Egbuka's phone usage, which is highly limited, but highlights his calm, self-controlled approach to life, which has heavily aided his football career. The 23-year-old has six apps on his phone, zero being social media.
Egbuka does have a highly popular Instagram account, but it's mainly for NIL purposes. "The stuff that comes easy in life isn't really worth anything," Egbuka said. "All the good things in life take hard work.
Hard work has aided his success, but injuries have played a massive role in Egbuka's immediate impact. He quickly became Baker Mayfield's first receiving option after Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan were injured to enter the season. A few weeks later, Mike Evans' hamstring injury gave way for Egbuka to become the WR1 in Tampa Bay, which he likely won't relinquish.
Evans may come back toward the end of the regular season, but the 32-year-old is finishing his potential final contract in Tampa Bay. Chris Godwin signed a four-year extension at the end of last season, but he rarely showcased WR1 talent. Jalen McMillan and Tez Johnson are solid receivers, but don't possess the ceiling and pedigree of Egbuka.
The top of the receiving core is Egbuka's moving forward, and he's earned it. The Ohio State standout has dominated his rookie campaign, and he's just getting started. Get excited, Bucs' fans, Mike Evans' replacement is here.