Did Bucs Have Inside Intel On Emeka Egbuka?
May 21st, 2025
Intel pipeline from Ohio State?
Some folks still have decent-sized audiences in the NFL social media/podcast/blogosphere that are surprised the Bucs drafted Emeka Egbuka at No. 19.
The same folks thought defense was a much higher Bucs need, and one could argue wide receiver was the deepest position room on the team.
Joe remembers seeing a video of NFL Films analyst Greg Cosell from “The Ross Tucker Podcast” in which Cosell thought the Bucs had Egbuka rated so highly that when he was still there at No. 19, the Bucs figured, “Hey, Egbuka is too good of value to pass on.”
In other words, the Bucs stayed true to their board.
Joe ran Cosell’s words up the flagpole at One Buc Palace. The feedback Joe got was, “That’s very fair.” Joe’s source didn’t say Cosell was right or wrong, just that Cosell’s words were “very fair.”
Joe brings this all up because yesterday, when Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was talking about Egbuka, he mentioned, “I have a couple of good buddies on [Ohio State’s] staff.”
Mind you, Grizzard didn’t say he had a friend on Ryan Day’s staff, he had two (maybe one was Mr. Just For Men himself, Day?).
So Joe wonders if the Bucs, i.e. Grizzard, were good intel that other teams may not have had. And that may be a reason the Bucs could have ranked Egbuka in their top-10 in the draft.
“I think the delineation between slot and outside has decreased.”@GregCosell on the Buccaneers drafting Emeka Ebuka: pic.twitter.com/pekN4vwoSp
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) May 15, 2025
May 21st, 2025 at 12:15 pm
Yea I wanted somebody for defense, but bang for your Buc, this is an awesome pick!
May 21st, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Defense was our priority and there are questions as to why we didn’t use round 1 to get someone but let’s be honest, Mike has hammy issues and Chris is coming off a serious injury. When we lost both last year the next three games we lost to the falcons, chiefs and 49ers. Otten was the lead receiver in the first two games (81 and 77 yards) and White was the lead receiver in the 49ers game with 39 yards and Otten was second with 35 yards. We needed more offensive power and if we had Egbuka I would argue we do better as we lost by one possession in each game (yes chiefs was OT instant loss and Bowles should have gone for 2pt). I think he is a great pick and Bucs took care of this year and the future with Egbuka . I do think we need 1-2 more pieces on defense.
May 21st, 2025 at 1:10 pm
Remember how crazy the slobbering over the pick of EE was this fall.
When Bowles defense falls on its face in meaningful games you’ll wish the defense was the priority in the first round.
The defensive plan looks like the same as last year with a few new backups.
“Just gotta do better” – Todd Bowles after every loss
May 21st, 2025 at 1:10 pm
I gotta ditto what Coconut said. I must admit, EE is not anybody I paid much attention to. I figured that if we took a receiver it would me MacMillan or Golden. The only thing I know about most of these prospects is what I read here and draft gurus.
May 21st, 2025 at 1:14 pm
I doubt there was any intel they had that most other teams didn’t have. The NFL/NCAA coaching network does’t just advantage the Bucs, especially at big programs like Ohio State.
May 21st, 2025 at 1:24 pm
Some fans think we are going to make a run for the Super Bowl this year. Some would say that thinking is premature. Our offense should be top notch this season. I am hoping our defense will be humming along come December.
I don’t know any reason to think Egbuka was not well scouted. I think it was a shrewd move because of what happened last season.
May 21st, 2025 at 1:42 pm
Just wondering how much more can be written about this guy before preseason starts?
May 21st, 2025 at 1:55 pm
Apparently they can’t write about the defense…..
May 21st, 2025 at 2:48 pm
The biggest problem with the defense last year was injuries. If everyone is healthy plus our new guys, the defense should be ok.
May 21st, 2025 at 2:52 pm
The more we learn the more it’s clear we got a top 10 player at 19.
May 21st, 2025 at 3:43 pm
I wasn’t happy with the EE pick but I’m a believer now. Think he’s gonna be special.
May 21st, 2025 at 4:55 pm
I believe Jason said he WAS a top 10 player on their board.
May 21st, 2025 at 5:00 pm
It’s time to get over it.
May 21st, 2025 at 6:26 pm
The pick was fantastic… too many d linemen and LBs were taken off the board.
EE may have been the Bucs #1 WR in the draft.
Offense needs all the help they can get at receivers…
Bics proceeded to pick 2 CBs ther after… and then some solid linemen and line backers… great draft.
May 21st, 2025 at 6:39 pm
Here are the numbers…
4 Edge/LBs were taken and 3 DTs were taken, 7 in total, ahead of the Bucs first pick.
Now imagine seeing 7 defensive guys fall off the board that night… it was a real game changer… shifted away from the need to go get best player available.
EE is solid… and when his name gets called for each 3rd down conversion, the fans will end up loving him like they have Chris.
May 21st, 2025 at 6:48 pm
EE was a great receiver for 3 years at OSU not a 1 year wonder like most others so I think he was the best receiver in the draft. EE did it all very well, watched a lot of him and he always stood out. I wanted a defensive guy too but I know Licht knows what he’s doing and believe their guy at that spot on D was gone, if he wasn’t then they did the right think and stayed true to their board by getting BPA. I think this will work out just fine or better than most would have thought before the draft.
May 21st, 2025 at 8:19 pm
Sombrero – bingo. Hammer hits nail on head.
May 21st, 2025 at 9:20 pm
The Bucs also drafted OJ Howard when he fell to them in the draft and missed out on Dalvin Cook. I’m sure Egbuka will be a good player but we could have traded down and got two more LBs. A first round pick should be a full time player their first year. He is probably good enough to be but there is too much talent ahead of him. This would be a good pick for a team building for the future instead of fix the holes in the middle of the defense and possibly win a Super Bowl
May 21st, 2025 at 10:00 pm
It is reassuring to see so many NCAA fans really like this pick.
May 21st, 2025 at 10:24 pm
I think what the problem with Howard was just that he hit the NFL she just couldn’t deal with bigger stronger faster players he suddenly faced. I always heard that he simply didn’t really love the game.
May 21st, 2025 at 10:47 pm
I love our draft.
We have a fantastic GM, so it really doesn’t matter what round is taken at any position…because Jason fixes holes regardless. You can be the picks will produce
Ignoring the biased opinion of WalkThePlank, I think that, barring injuries, this really is a championship team. Either Conference or Superbowl.
May 21st, 2025 at 11:10 pm
Baker isn’t going to be happy playing for $35M per year for long if he doesn’t have ample weapons to throw to. This was the right pick.
May 21st, 2025 at 11:54 pm
Egbuka was just too good to pass up at 19, Bottom Line!!!!! Now you don’t have to rush Godwin back and we have our next two receivers if the future . I love the pick. We did address the D. Morrison is a 1st rd talent and his hip surgery was just corrective surgery so he won’t have to deal with it anymore. Parrish only slipped cause of his size and cause he played at Kansas St. lol being a Hurricane fan I know Robert’s will bring his lunchpale to work everyday . I actually really really like this draft. There was a lot of value to be had.