Numbers Tell The Story Behind The Emeka Egbuka Pick
April 25th, 2025
Math said “receiver.”
“This Joe” has been in a football cave for a few hours — at One Buc Palace busy banging out stories, in media availabilities with Jason Licht and Emuka Egbuka.
So “this Joe” had been out of touch with the pulse of Bucs fans after the Bucs drafted Egbuka at No. 19 on Thursday night in the first round.
So when Joe got home around 2 a.m. and began reading social media and the comments on this here corner of the interwebs, holy smokes, folks are outraged.
Well first, the Bucs, specifically coach Todd Bowles and Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht, said at the owners meetings last month that fans shouldn’t be shocked if they take a receiver at No. 19. Then, two days ago, three different guys who Joe knows have a direct pipeline into the Bucs’ front office all believed the Bucs were picking receiver at No. 19.
Just no one thought it was Egbuka, though Joe mentioned him several times as a darkhorse candidate, mainly because he is a walking twin of Chris Godwin.
So there were plenty of signposts with “RECEIVER” in the vicinity of One Buc Palace.
Over at Sharp Football Analysis, Rich Hribar said the numbers screamed the Bucs were going receiver.
He documented that, yeah, Egbuka was an unorthodox pick. But peering into the numbers from last season showed the Bucs needed a receiver with Mike Evans getting old and Chris Godwin an unknown factor — though Licht vowed last night that Godwin is still on track for Week 1 (Bowles said last month he wasn’t sure).
The fact that Evans is in a contract year shouldn’t be lost on Bucs fans, either. He likely knows his next contract, if he doesn’t retire, very well could be his last so he may be looking at one last mega payday. Who knows if the Bucs will pay that ransom or not?
So no, the Bucs picking a receiver is not a shock at all to Joe. Joe first wrote about the Bucs picking Egbuka on March 8. Joe was adamant that Egbuka was one of three picks that would make Joe very happy.
April 25th, 2025 at 4:08 am
Yeah I’m not upset at all and with this article, Joe, I feel even better about it. He’s arguably the best WR in the draft. Clearly the defensive talent is not as amazing, since several guys who were projected 1st rounders are waiting. Sean and Ira warned us this wasn’t an amazing draft, prospect wise. This was a good choice.
Another thing is Bowles says he has the answers to his defensive woes. I know we’re hurting, but I think people are going to end up being upset with what shakes down. Just a sneaking suspicion. He is very stubborn… But anyone complaining about Embuka about being a Godwin clone is the same person to say that their steak is too juicy and lobster too buttery.
April 25th, 2025 at 5:39 am
Everyone should also keep in mind that Reddick IS playing for his final BIG payday as well. He is still in his prime, rested from last years lack of hard play and probably will play harder than he EVER HAS…
So that’s not being spoke of by anybody but I Guarantee it’s true. He’ll probably get 10 to 12 sacks this season and create Havic the entire season.
So it may Not be as bad as we think in the pass rush department this year. (As long as he is utilized as an ACTUAL PASS RUSHER AND NOT A FUTILE SCIENCE EXPERIMENT THAT IS!)
The Entire Secondary on the other hand………..
Btw, Bowles is “Physically Unable” to be a DC and a head coach!!! Have you guys seen this man waddling like a penguin when he walks? At least 50 extra pounds on the guy and he freaking Waddles side to side when he walks!
WE NEED A DC DA@M !T !!
April 25th, 2025 at 5:49 am
Schrager called it
Schrager called a receiver, not Egbuka. –Joe
April 25th, 2025 at 5:53 am
I have no problem with the individual picked, but the Bucs really messed this one up. I believe they needed D-Line. I could have accepted CB, S or ILB. Selecting O is unacceptable given the needs of D.
April 25th, 2025 at 6:00 am
Bucs guy, you can only pick one player per round. So we get a corner, a DT, a safety in the 3rd round, who cares? The 3rd round safety might turn out better than the 2nd round safety, this draft is not an exact science. Ronde is a 3rd round HOF corner. Trust the process.
April 25th, 2025 at 6:39 am
Offense didn’t cost us games last year, the defense did. This wr might be great but doesn’t fix our secondary.
April 25th, 2025 at 6:46 am
Yeah the ages and injuries to Godwin and Evans
April 25th, 2025 at 6:49 am
Not the WR I had been calling for, LB3 @19, but I saw the strategic need.
April 25th, 2025 at 6:52 am
I don’t get the Godwin comparisons so much but Egbuka is the surest bet at receiver if not the flat-out best in the draft.
Bowles’ confidence that he can brainpower his way through defense troubles seems foolish. Even if true, why say it out loud?
April 25th, 2025 at 6:53 am
A lot of players that I thought we could pick at 19 are still out there and positionally there are still a number of corners and safeties and Edge rushers that would fit with this team. I am pretty certain we will be getting a good defensive player in the second round I have another one in the third and another one in the 4th unless we use our fourth round pick with more capital to trade up.
April 25th, 2025 at 6:57 am
Egbuka is huge insurance if Mike or Chris go down….has anyone considered that?
April 25th, 2025 at 6:58 am
If Licht missed out on an immediate all pro corner or defender then I’ll be kind of upset. This was a pretty safe pick though I understand.
April 25th, 2025 at 7:10 am
Joe, I can’t argue with your point about the hints and signals being there since the combine.
I can understand the argument that Emeka may have been the BPA.
He’s talented; there’s no doubt about that. And he’s going to be a good fit with Baker and the style of pass offense we play.
Very simply, Baker is much better on the shorter throws.
And as long as we keep moving the chains we score points.
Plus, the concerns about how much longer Mike will play and whether Chris will be ready when week 1 gets here.
I’m not shocked either. I saw the signs and messages too.
I just think shoring up our defense is a much higher priority this year.
April 25th, 2025 at 7:12 am
I watch a lot of osu and EE has been good for three years there. He would have been a number one at most schools but played with Marv and Smith. Kid is a super person, can play in or out, good hands, size and runs great routes. He was a first rounder by all 32 teams. Plus, he can return. Smart and safe pick.
The only thing I don’t like here was signing CG, with pick we don’t need him.
JL can always trade up to get their edge, cb, LB or dt.
April 25th, 2025 at 7:14 am
Chill folks… lots of draft to go and then released veterans post draft to plug holes and had proven depth
April 25th, 2025 at 7:19 am
The guys two x posts above should be a sensible, reasonable take for anyone that isn’t smooth brained
April 25th, 2025 at 7:34 am
So who’s defending passes over the middle on defense? How does taking a receiver with that pick equate to more wins? I HOPE Licht can find starting caliber players for the defense.
April 25th, 2025 at 7:42 am
JBF, just because they say it more than once in an interview, doesn’t mean it’s true, or we will be any less shock that in-fact, they did draft a WR. They never mentioned a DT, hell if I’m not mistaken, they never even talked or brought Kancey in for an interview before drafting him. From the fan’s perspective, I think we all understand the needs of this team, and it is defense. Yet the smart play is PBA. Last 2 drafts Licht has gone that route, and I think there’s a solid chance both guys will be in Tampa a long time. JTS is what Licht is trying to avoid.
I also think they are playing the long game when it comes to contracts. When replacing Evans or Godwin, do we draft a WR, trade for one, or wait for free agency. If you want a star, drafting is the best investment. Everything else is going to cost this team a fortune. I think ILB and even a productive edge can be had for less. Again, it’s what position this team values over the next.
Redemption with the fans will come in these next 2 rounds. We need to address OLB and ILB.
April 25th, 2025 at 7:50 am
Well, I was pushing for Jayden Higgins with our 2nd…I knew we needed to address WR, but Jason one upped me lol. I love it!
We’ll get D today…chill peeps
Emmanwori, Alfred Collins and Nohl Williams are still there (might need some trade ups though)
April 25th, 2025 at 7:58 am
this is gm malpractice – hire morgan & morgan. how do you let 2 quality cb and 2 quality edge rushes get away. unreal. how did houston trade back for a boat load of picks when the bucs could have? plenty of quality wr avail. he’s not that great. now you have 4 picks to cover up 5 deficiencies. good luck with that math.
April 25th, 2025 at 8:03 am
I truly believe we could have played it like the rams and got E² on day 2. Licht punted instead of going for it on 4th down. Nice and safe. And tbh, puts all the pressure on our virginal player caller rather than saying… ‘you know what, we (the defense) got you, I (JL) trust my defensive guru to develop a stud defensive weapon and take some pressure off of the offense.” Bowles’s hot seat was put on ice with this pick.
April 25th, 2025 at 8:05 am
Everyone needs to chill….they picked a stud player and a great person….also he was probably the BPA on their board!!! This is what the good teams do…grab the BPA and stick to your board….the strength of this draft is the 2-5 rounds and I have faith that JL will bring us some very good and exciting D players. This is a great pick, don’t get your panties in a wad…good things are yet to come!!!!
April 25th, 2025 at 8:06 am
Safe pick. That simple.
April 25th, 2025 at 8:10 am
Best player available is almost always a good move . If it was good enough for the great Bill polian it’s good enough for me .
April 25th, 2025 at 8:10 am
To all saying we needed DL, I agree. However please keep in mind that 7 of the 18 picks before us WAS DL. So I believe that many of those were on our board as the pick, but smart drafting teams don’t reach when a position goes on a run like that they zig when everything else is zagging. I didn’t know much about this guy (and honestly thought we drafted that edge rusher Ezeiruaku lol) and wasn’t too happy at first because I think Golden is the best WR in this class, but after looking into him I really like the pick. He is a Godwin clone, and no one knows if Godwin will even be the same player this year. My money is on Yes Godwin will be fine, but one does never know… So to recap, before us there were 7 Dline, the top 3 OL tackles, the top 2 elite OL guard prospects, BOTH Elite TE prospects… This pick was made out of being stuck with all our other top players off the board. Sometimes in drafts the players fall to you, others they don’t and you need to take the BEST TALENT AVAILABLE and I trust in Licht and Bowels to have made that pick as the best available. They know alot more than us keyboard warriors do, it’s their job and their track record shows a good history of it.
April 25th, 2025 at 8:10 am
Great pick, does it all.
When Joe has pined for guys in the past that we picked, non-QBs,:
– LaVonte David- Yahtzee!
– Chris Godwin- homerun!
Emeka Egbuka- looks like a nice pickup. Kid does it all and is a great person. Skillset is a little bit of everything. I’m stoked!
April 25th, 2025 at 8:11 am
lol at the falcons. That’s good stuff.
April 25th, 2025 at 8:14 am
Doesn’t anyone trust Licht?
April 25th, 2025 at 8:17 am
We’ve already replaced two defensive starters from last year, chill out
April 25th, 2025 at 9:04 am
Okay I get it, take a wideout
But why take a mid level second round pick at 19
Who will be a wr2 or 3 ?
Even his own university blog said it
April 25th, 2025 at 9:27 am
The Bucs offense certainly cost them the 20-6 Denver game although goal line linebacker fails by Britt and Dennis gave the Broncos 14 points that should have been 3 points. Still, that leaves the offense losing that game 9-6.
In my humble opinion, the offense did more than their fair share to lose the Dallas game with some egregious play calling, particularly around the red zone.
And, there were a couple of other games where the offense misfired that do not come to mind at this moment.
That said, Chris Godwin is evidence that there are places to address the receiver position other than #19 in the first round.
April 25th, 2025 at 9:38 am
but he’s not a number 1 WR, and it’s the first round. doesn’t make sense fiscally. glad he gets to see Evans and Godwin for a year or two, and love him as a player. WR blocking is underrated. but hell, we coulda traded up in the second to get him. what is ronde saying?
April 25th, 2025 at 10:08 am
This kid is Taylor made for baker Mayfield we didn’t draft Matthew G because baker would have at least 25int trying to throw him the long ball EE is a better Route runner
April 25th, 2025 at 10:17 am
I would hate to see Evans end his career somewhere besides Tampa.
I think he’s got at least 2 more seasons in him, though our WR room is getting so crowded, the 1k seasons may be over now…
April 25th, 2025 at 10:26 am
A first round pick in this win now climate needs to be an immediate starter. You can split hairs all you like but we lost at least 3 games last year due to the absence of a playoff caliber defense.
The pick may be a solid choice, however for this team at this point in time, this pick is very similar to taking Trask in the 2nd round while claiming to run back for another Super Bowl victory.
David is too old, Dennis has been injury riddled, we lost both backup centers, the edge has been a problem for consecutive seasons, we have one starting caliber corn and we just signed Godwin to a 3 year contract.
Most of you have been overly critical of Todd Bowles. However, you are fine with spending a first round pick in a position that needed zero attention. I thought we were going to make a Super Bowl run. We’ll, we still need a starting caliber corner, ILB that is plug and player, and a young edge for depth.
This was a big mistake, they over thought it.