Tag: emeka egbuka

2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State

An NFL-ready skill set has Egbuka poised to be a highly coveted selection.

Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, who was rated as a top-10 national prep recruit coming out of Washington state, enters the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the more interesting Day 2 buys at the position.

He made a dent on special teams as a true freshman for the Buckeyes before bursting onto the scene in 2022 with more than 1,200 total yards and a dozen scores.

Life wasn’t as kind on Egbuka as a junior. An ankle injury cost him three games, and his healthy production wasn’t exactly impressive as the offense turned to Kyle McCord after C.J. Stroud left for the pros. Will Howard stepped in as the starter in 2024, and a healthy Egbuka once again thrived with competent quarterback play, showing reliance and proving he wasn’t just a one-year wonder.

Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 202 pounds
40 time: 4.48 seconds

Table: WR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State (2021-24)

Year Team Class G Receiving Rushing
Rec Yds Y/R TD Att Yds TD
2021* Ohio State Fr 10 9 191 21.2 0 0 0 0
2022* Ohio State So 13 74 1,151 15.6 10 11 87 2
2023* Ohio State Jr 10 41 515 12.6 4 5 25 0
2024* Ohio State Sr 16 81 1,011 12.5 10 8 33 0
Career 49 205 2,868 14.0 24 24 145 2

*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)

Pros

  • Excellent feel for exploiting zone coverage and natural instincts to work back to a quarterback under duress
  • Fluid athlete with plus ball skills and flashes late hands
  • Respectable route skills with glimpses of elite potential
  • Creates separation with subtly with body control and hand fighting
  • Reliable hands and great concentration
  • Fearless in traffic and at his best working the middle of the field
  • Athletic enough for manufactured touches out of the backfield and around the line of scrimmage
  • A fair amount of experience returning kicks early in his Ohio State career
  • Can play inside and out but is at his best from the slot
  • Team captain
  • Ideal fit for a modified West Coast offense

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Cons

  • Average top-end speed — he’s tough to catch if he has a step but rarely outright breaks away
  • Can get knocked off his route vs. stronger press corners
  • Mostly a two-level receiver in the route tree — limited vertical profile
  • Despite being adequately built, his blocking game needs a lot of attention from NFL coaches
  • Injury-shortened 2023 season required tightrope surgery on his ankle — gritty playing style and role opens him up to increased injury concern

Fantasy football outlook

Egbuka offers more than enough to find himself landing on Day 2, and he has the traits to make early-career contributions.

In the best system fit will be in a West Coast design with a creative coach. San Francisco jumps out immediately as not only is an ideal landing spot but also is a team in need. Any number of the Shanahan-based offshoots around the league make plenty of sense. Houston has a clear hole to fill, and the C.J. Stroud connection to Egbuka, too. New Orleans, the Los Angeles Rams, and Miami all could be in play given their connections to this style of play.

One player instantly comes to mind when looking to make an NFL comparison, and that’s Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown. It’s not a perfect one-to-one comp, but they share a similar playing style and fit the same role. Egbuka has a little more versatility than St. Brown but isn’t quite on the same overall level yet as an aerial product.

Steelers go all offense in new 2-round mock draft on ESPN

This new mock draft gets the Steelers offense headed in the right direction.

It looks like ESPN NFL draft writer Matt Miller has been reading my posts on X. I’ve been on the record very loudly that I would be good with the Pittsburgh Steelers going all Buckeyes in the first two rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Miller put out a new mock draft this week leading up to the Super Bowl and after the Senior Bowl wrapped up and he went offense-heavy for the Steelers and all Ohio State.

In the first round, Miller went with wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. We agree wholeheartedly with Miller’s assessment of Egbuka and why he is a perfect fit for Pittsburgh.

Moving to the second round, Miller doubles down on Buckeyes and goes with running back Quinshon Judkins. Again, it’s a perfect fit for a rebuilding Steelers offense that needs a playmaker in the backfield.

 

I’d even take it a step further and if the Steelers wanted to draft Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the third round, we could live with that as well.

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Steelers’ 25-year draft history shows WR isn’t a first-round priority

The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t drafted a wide receiver in the first round in 19 years, making it unlikely they break that trend in 2025.

The 2025 NFL Draft buzz is beginning to pick up as the Senior Bowl has concluded, leaving much of the Black and Gold faithful wondering what their beloved Steelers will do to alleviate their receiver concerns.

Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka has been the biggest wide receiver tied to the Steelers’ 21st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but something fans may want to consider is that history does not support this speculation.

Since 2000, the Steelers have selected just two wide receivers in the first round—Plaxico Burress in 2000 and Santonio Holmes in 2006.

It has been a long 19 years since the Steel City used the coveted first round to find a wide receiver, as the Pittsburgh Steelers tend to use the later rounds to select their top receivers.

In the past 25 NFL Drafts, there have been six wide receivers taken in the second round by the Steelers—their number one targeted positional group from picks 33-64.

With that in mind, it is likely that the Pittsburgh Steelers draft a defensive lineman in the first round and choose to draft a receiver in the second round, such as TCU WR Jack Bech—who was recently named the 2025 Senior Bowl MVP.

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3 first-round WRs the Rams could target in 2025 NFL draft

With Cooper Kupp potentially done in LA, the Rams could target these 3 wide receivers in Round 1 of the draft

As painful as it may be to accept, the Los Angeles Rams are could part ways with veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp this offseason. The aging Kupp is scheduled to carry a sizable cap charge in 2025, reaching nearly $30 million. Once his departure is finalized, general manager Les Snead must acquire a replacement at wide receiver.

The Rams are slated to own the No. 26 overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft. Snead could target a pass-catching prospect with that pick. We’ve identified three receivers worth drafting at 26.

Luther Burden III | Missouri

Luther Burden III is the type of receiver who’s done damage in creative offensive schemes like Sean McVay’s. An explosive short-area winner, Burden thrives at winning underneath the coverage and creating post-catch yardage for himself. The Missouri standout would qualify as a like-for-like replacement for Kupp in the slot.

Emeka Egbuka | Ohio State

Emeka Egbuka possesses a skill set that typically falls in line with what McVay and Les Snead crave at the position. The national champion is skilled and nuanced, running advanced routes before engulfing every target thrown in his direction. Egbuka possesses an incredibly high ceiling as a slot receiver at the next level.

Matthew Golden | Texas

Matthew Golden has been a fast riser throughout the pre-draft process. Golden exploded during the College Football Playoff, torching Arizona State for seven receptions, 149 yards, and one touchdown in a thrilling overtime win in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. He’s incredibly explosive with alignment versatility, capable of playing all three receiver positions in an NFL offense.

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2025 NFL Mock Draft: Bucky Brooks gives Bucs another offensive playmaker

The Bucs have been attached to a lot of players on defense, but not many on offense; that changed in this mock draft.

The 2025 NFL Draft is fast approaching which means teams will start seeing themselves being attached to players in more and more mock drafts. Bucky Brooks of NFL Media published his first mock draft of the cycle and he gave the Bucs an interesting selection.

The Bucs have been attached to a lot of players on defense, but not many on offense; that changed in this mock draft.

Brooks selected Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka for the Bucs at pick 19. The need for a wide receiver is well noted here on Bucs Wire but we have not

“Third-round rookie Jalen McMillan blossomed down the stretch this past season, but the Buccaneers could still stand to invest valuable draft capital into the wide receiver position, with Chris Godwin on the verge of free agency and Mike Evans heading toward the final year of his contract. Egbuka is a high-floor prospect with WR1/WR2 potential.”

Egbuka is a fun play for the Bucss as a longterm answer to their wide receiver position. He, alongside Jalen McMillan, would be fun to watch as a fan, and it would give Baker Mayfield stability in his arsenal of weapons.

Bengals ignore defense, upgrade offense in fresh 2-round NFL mock draft

The Bengals make some surprising choices in a new mock draft.

The Cincinnati Bengals already had one of the better offenses in the NFL in 2024. But entering the offseason, the future of wide receiver Tee Higgins once again looms large as Cincinnati has a tough decision to make regarding him as they also have Ja’Marr Chase to pay eventually.

The Bengals also struck gold with Chase Brown after Zack Moss went down with an injury this season and there’s no guarantee Moss returns to the team in 2025, so extra pieces could be needed there as well.

Both positions were attacked in the latest two-round mock draft from Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy.

First, at No. 17, the Bengals take a potential replacement for Higgins in Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. Egbuka had over 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns in two of his last three seasons. He missed three games in 2023 due to an injury.

RELATED: Bengals reveal coaching hires — and one comes with a twist

In the second round, the Bengals grab a new running mate for Chase Brown as they select Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson. Sampson had a monster breakout season in 2024, rushing for 1,491 yards and an incredible 22 touchdowns (both school records) in helping the Vols reach the College Football Playoff before losing to eventual national champion Ohio State, a game Sampson left early due to a hamstring injury. He rushed for over 100 yards in all but two games during the regular season.

Defense will certainly be of need this offseason, but there’s also free agency for that. The Bengals love offense and any chance they can get to upgrade that side of the football, they’ll take it.

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Steelers land sleeper wide receiver in Daniel Jeremiah’s debut mock draft

Daniel Jeremiah has the Steelers selecting wide receiver Matthew Golden in his new mock draft.

It feels more and more like 2025 will be the last season we see wide receiver George Pickens as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, Pickens might not even make it to the 2025 season if the Steelers chose to trade him away.

Either scenario puts wide receiver as one of the Steelers top needs for the 2025 NFL draft and/or free agency. In NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s first mock draft of the year, he was looking to the present and the future with the Steelers pick of Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden.

I don’t think the Steelers could go wrong drafting Golden or Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka here. They go with Golden in this case, but they are both professional route runners with outstanding hands and toughness.

Jeremiah’s mock draft really puts the Steelers in a wild spot. Not only is Golden and Emeka Egbuka still on the board but he still has Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden is there as well. This would not only give the Steelers a great shot to land a true No. 1 receiver but could put them in a position to trade back and still land the guy they want.

 

Potential Texans WR draft target declare for 2025 NFL Draft

Emeka Egbuka is officially headed to the 2025 NFL Draft and potentially the Houston Texans this April.

C.J. Stroud’s former top target is leaving Columbus.

Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka officially bid farewell to the Buckeyes as his sights turned to the 2025 NFL Draft.

Entering his name into the draft was a formality for Egbuka, who exhausted his NCAA eligibility after four years with Ohio State. The post was more so a thank you to the fans for sticking by his side for four seasons while establishing himself as one of the top playmakers in program history.

Egbuka closed out his college career with a bang, totaling six catches for 64 yards and one carry for 13 yards in Monday’s 34-23 national championship win over Notre Dame.

For the season, the senior collected 81 catches for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. He leaves Ohio State as the all-time leader in receptions (205) and receiving yards (2,868) while notching 24 career touchdowns.

During his sophomore season. Egbuka served as one of the top weapons for Stroud en route to a College Football Playoff berth. With the Texans’ second-year passer, Egbuka caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 TDs while averaging 15.4 yards per catch.

The Houston Texans have been linked to Egbuka in the second round of mock drafts. With the need for a long-term No. 2 option, Houston could reunite the duo, along with fellow Buckeye Cade Stover ahead of the 2025 season.

One NFL scout compared Egbuka’s play style to former Ohio State star and current Seattle Seahawk Jaxon Smith-Njigba or Detroit Lions Amon-Ra St. Brown.

“Quick passing attacks will appreciate how he marries the timing of his routes to the quarterback drop,” the scout said. “He is going to be where his quarterback needs him to be. Projects as a consistent slot playmaker at the next level.”

The Texans own six picks in April’s draft.

Mel Kiper’s first 2025 NFL mock draft is a dream scenario for Broncos

Mel Kiper’s first 2025 NFL mock draft has the Broncos picking RB Ashton Jeanty at No. 20.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has released his first 2025 NFL mock draft (subscription required) and it’s a dream scenario for the Denver Broncos.

Kiper’s early prediction has the Broncos selecting Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty with the 20th overall pick in the first round. The best RB in the class, Jeanty would be an amazing pick for Denver after he rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns last fall.

With Javonte Williams scheduled to become a free agent in March, the Broncos are expected to address the running back position this spring.

Of note, Kiper has Penn State tight end Tyler Warren — a popular prospect among Broncos fans — going to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 14 overall. Right after Denver’s pick, Kiper has the Pittsburgh Steelers selecting Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka at No. 21.

After that, the Los Angeles Chargers land Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at pick No. 22. Warren, Jeanty, Egbuka and Loveland will be popular mock draft picks for the Broncos in the coming months.

In his first mock draft last year, Kiper had Denver selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu. The Broncos instead chose Oregon quarterback Bo Nix at No. 12 and Latu landed with the Colts at No. 15 in 2024.

The 2025 NFL draft will be held in Green Bay, Wisconsin from April 24-26. Denver holds seven picks, including selections in the first four rounds.

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C.J. Stroud’s former Ohio State teammate viewed as ‘pefect fit’ for Texans draft class

A reunion could be in the works for C.J. Stroud and his top receiver from Ohio State in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Who is the “perfect fit” for the Houston Texans in the upcoming NFL Draft?

No one is perfect in the eyes of the Texans. There’s always room for growth and development between a rookie and a 10-year veteran between practices and game reps.

Still, Pro Football Focus recently named one “perfect” fit for all 32 teams entering the 2025 draft cycle. By no surprise, especially given their relationship in Columbus, PFF believes reuniting C.J. Stroud with wide receiver Emeka Egbuka makes too much sense.

“With the long-term uncertainty around Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, the best thing the Texans could do is give their talented young quarterback a reliable and effective second wide receiver to compliment Nico Collins,” The publication wrote. “Selecting Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka gives the Texans a dangerous WR2 who not only makes the Texans’ offense harder to defend but also aids in C.J. Stroud‘s development.”

Since Stroud’s departure, Egbuka has transitioned into a solid No. 2 option behind Marvin Harrison Jr. and later Jeremiah Smith. That doesn’t mean he still can’t take over games and remain a constant force in the slot or outside.

Last season en route to winning a national title, Egbuka caught 81 passes for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also averaged 98.2 yards per game and 6.8 catches per contest.

But during Stroud’s final season, Egbuka broke out in place of future first-round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, helping the Buckeyes reach the College Football Playoff.

“In their last season playing together at Ohio State, Egbuka posted a 74-catch, 1,151-yard and 10-touchdown season,” PFF wrote.  “The pre-existing chemistry and history of production between Stroud and Egbuka would make a valued addition to the Texans offense and provide C.J. Stroud with a pass-catching weapon for the intermediate level (between 10-19 yards downfield), where the bulk of their yards and touchdowns came together.”

Houston must upgrade its interior offensive and defensive line, but given the value of Egbuka’s relationship with Stroud, adding a receiver early in the draft should be in play.

General manager Nick Caserio has also been known for his aggressive approach to targeting talent he covets. If Egbuka falls in the second round, don’t be surprised if the Texans trade up to end his draft-day tumble.