Emeka Egbuka Talks Mentors Baker Mayfield & Sterling Shepard
June 5th, 2025
Rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Bucs first-round pick Emeka Egbuka is in capable veteran hands.
Is there a better wide receiver incubator in the NFL than what exists in Tampa? No chance. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are selfless franchise icons, and 10th-year man Sterling Shepard is hungry to help young receivers, as is veteran Pro Bowl QB Baker Mayfield.
Today on NFL Network, Egubka talked about how Mayfield and Shepard are there for him — after every throw.
“Kind of after practice, whenever, [Mayfield and I] connect on a pass even if we don’t connect on a pass,” Egbuka said.
“We’re always learning ways to grow and get better. He’s always giving me nuggets to analyze defenses and how to, you know, and kind of change my route and all that type of stuff. So it’s a very cerebral approach when it comes to our conversations on the field.”
As for Shepard, Egbuka painted him as a true mentor.
“Every time I come back from running a route — or maybe I ran a good route or if I didn’t run a so-good route — Sterling is one of the first ones to tell me,” Egbuka said. “And we’ll watch it together on film post-practice, and we’re always studying the game.”
Egbuka added that he get lots of “tips and advice” from all the Bucs’ veteran receivers.
Joe expects a healthy load of targets for Egbuka this season, even if Chris Godwin is healthy.
June 5th, 2025 at 3:03 pm
LFG!
June 5th, 2025 at 3:33 pm
One of the reasons I hope Shep sticks around.
June 5th, 2025 at 3:56 pm
Baker and Shep know the stakes. They want to win at all costs. Love having those guys here!
June 5th, 2025 at 3:56 pm
I just Don’t see how in the Wide World of Sports ANY TEAM can defend against our Offense.
We Are without a doubt, Fully Loaded for Bear!
“When” our Defense catches back up, We Will Be in the Super Bowl. We ARE GETTING SO CLOSE that it’s starting to materialize in front of all of our eyes.
We Definitely Are becoming a Dynasty! And if we All keep Insisting on All Around Excellence, it’ll be Very Soon.
With Baker in place (a franchise QB), We FINALLY have a Legitimate Shot at a Actual Dynasty, PROBABLY for the first time in our history. These ARE Exciting times!
God help anyone who Goofs it up! If you know what I mean… (wink, wink, GROWL)
June 5th, 2025 at 4:06 pm
Stay healthy!
June 5th, 2025 at 4:17 pm
Off topic, Give up a #1 next year and Dean for Hendrickson and that’s makes us NFC Champion favorites immediately. Pick up a stud cornerback in the 2nd round next draft, please Jason do it!!! Go Bucs
June 5th, 2025 at 4:25 pm
Obvious One Says:
June 5th, 2025 at 3:56 pm
I just Don’t see how in the Wide World of Sports ANY TEAM can defend against our Offense.
We Are without a doubt, Fully Loaded for Bear
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Let’s just make sure the O line can keep Baker in the pocket with enough time to throw. If that happens, the sky is the limit for this offense. Thought last year the O line had more work to do on pass protection. Need to start the season with quick 3 step drop and ball out.
June 5th, 2025 at 5:24 pm
Shep is like having another coach. My guess is he’ll go to the practice squad.
June 5th, 2025 at 5:41 pm
They’re always offering him nuggets? Okayyy. I’ve heard enough.
June 5th, 2025 at 5:49 pm
TREY HENDRICKSON
I get why the Bucs don’t trade for Trey Hendrickson. He wants $30M a year and Bucs have a lot of free agents next year (Evans, Zyon, Goedeke). That said, swap Hall for Trey and you’re the #1 team in the NFC.
At the end of the year, you cut Dean and Hall, LVD retires, and you’ve recouped $25M of $30M. Is $5M that much to spend for $17 sacks and a Super Bowl?
June 5th, 2025 at 5:55 pm
They like Hall
June 5th, 2025 at 6:28 pm
When you really think about it this Bucs Offense may just be downright SCARY as an Offense. Baker is a STUD, WR corps is actually better than LY, these Young Bucs on the OL are all a year older and stronger and all back and what can you say about Bucky? How could anyone realistically look at this Team and not be excited about this Years team Offensively? I mean for crying out loud look how they were last year. And they’re going to be better talent wise this year? Watch out .. Now about that Putrid Pass Defense. I know. Go BUCS!!
June 5th, 2025 at 7:15 pm
Its starting to feel like this offense is going to be fun for everyone to watch, and few cry.
June 5th, 2025 at 7:16 pm
*and make a few cry.
June 5th, 2025 at 7:50 pm
Lord Jesus, I pray we make the superbowl. Amen
June 5th, 2025 at 8:09 pm
Shep also brings a physical and feisty presence to the offense.
He’s scrappy.
New Orleans has traditionally bullied us a bit
We need guys like Shep to bring some fire to the offense
June 5th, 2025 at 9:09 pm
With Diva Rodgers signing in Pittsburgh.. be a good time to unload some WR talent..
Maybe for a pick we can package to Cincinnati..
June 5th, 2025 at 11:32 pm
Yeah Gipper that’s a Great point. There were times last year that Baker was dodging bullets and few more times that I’m comfortable with. But, like Truth be Told mentioned, the guys on the O line can only have gotten better than last year as well as learned to function smoother as a unit…
At least that’s the hope…. I’ve got More than a good feeling about our Offense this year, I’ve got a GREAT FEELING for us! Especially since we’re running it back from last year and our new OC played a large roll in making Sure that we Kept drives going and Scoring a Plenty!
June 5th, 2025 at 11:33 pm
“Not Comfortable” with… oops
June 6th, 2025 at 3:32 am
Respect for Shepard just went up a notch. Tutoring rookies at your own position is not something everyone does. Particularly with this years WR room and the fact that Shep might end up being a late cut. Hats off!
Go Bucs!
June 6th, 2025 at 5:13 am
Marc Ross pontificating on the shield site about Philly trading for Hendrickson…
That would suck.
June 6th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
It’s cool to be stoked about the upcoming seasons rookie class.
I actually think we had a great draft
June 6th, 2025 at 8:11 pm
Obvious One Says: Dude I mean we had a top ten Defense for ten years straight. Im thinking we had a legit chance at a dynasty long before now. But hey lets do it now right