BSPN: Emeka Egbuka The Best Rookie (So Far)
October 16th, 2025
Already an NFL stud.
Well, well, well. Joe is a bit stunned. All of a sudden the four-letter is worshipping the Bucs.
Then, Joe returns to being cynical and remembers there is a football game to promote coming Monday night. And the Bucs happened to be scheduled for that very game.
How better to sell the game than to brag it features the NFL’s best team with the NFL’s best rookie?
The four-letter this week stunned the football world by selecting the team with the best record in the NFC, the Bucs, as the No. 1 team in the NFL in BSPN’s power rankings.
BSPN followed that up with its first power rankings of NFL rookies. And who is atop the list? Bucs receiver Emeka Egbuka.
Jordan Reid provides the details.
1. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Stats: 27 receptions, 469 yards, 5 TDs
Drafted: Round 1, No. 19Egbuka is the latest success in the Ohio State wide receiver pipeline to the NFL. His 78.2 receiving yards per game ranks seventh in the NFL. He’s showing the sure hands and reliability of a 10-year veteran.
Egbuka has not only displayed his route-running ability in the short and intermediate areas, but he has also been a deep threat. His 17.4 yards per reception ranks fourth in the NFL, as quarterback Baker Mayfield has been able to consistently connect with him downfield. Despite already having Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. as the top two options on the depth chart, the Buccaneers stuck to their “best player available” theory in the draft. It has paid off, even if Egbuka misses some time after injuring his hamstring in Week 6.
While on face value it sure looks like the Bucs went down the best-player-available trail, Joe is giving the Bucs, specifically AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht, a little bit more credit than that.
As Joe has typed since the Bucs drafted Egbuka, look at the production the Bucs got from their receivers last year when Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were both out. It was rock bottom.
Then you factor in how Godwin was coming back from having his ankle destroyed and no one really knew when or if he could play.
Then you factor in how Evans was turning 32 in August and always misses time with a hamstring. Would he still be his Hall of Fame self?
Joe actually believes the Bucs had receiver higher up their wish list than many people, including Joe, recognized.
The fact they fell in love with Egbuka, and not just his football skills, Joe doesn’t think it was simple happenstance that Egbuka was drafted only because he may have been the most talented player at No. 19. If you follow the breadcrumbs, the Bucs had targeted Egbuka.
However you may want to spin it, Licht was no “Millen” for selecting Egbuka.
October 16th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Joe had a previous article about the Bucs WR coach McLendon, maybe the NFL needs an article on the Ohio State WR coach. They are pros right out of the box. I loved the pick, but admit that i thought it was a “Luxury” pick.
October 16th, 2025 at 9:39 am
It’s a solid roster-building strategy to keep your elite units elite.
October 16th, 2025 at 9:40 am
I’m a Bucs fan, I believe the Bucs are the best in the NFL, but let’s be realistic, it’s gonna be very hard to win this Detroit game on the road with so many injuries.
Having RW 1, and Tucker running the ball is great but to have Evans, Godwin, Egbuka, and J Mac all out is very tough to overcome.
Who’s going to be healthy for that game Joe ? Do you have any information on who’s coming back on the offensive side of the ball ?
Go Bucs !!
October 16th, 2025 at 10:17 am
Bucs historically do very poorly when they become a favorite. Even in recent history. The pattern would predict a biblical style beat down at the hands of the Lions.
Let’s hope this Bucs team is for real and bucks the trend.
October 16th, 2025 at 10:19 am
We all expected a defensive player to come off the board to the Bucs at #19. Probably not an ILB as none were rated high enough but surely an Edge or DT or perhaps a CB – right? Depending on who was available….
And its pretty likely that if a Mason Graham or Jalon Walker type talent had fallen to #19 the Bucs 1st rd pick WOULD have gone to defense.
But with many of the best Defensive players already off the board when it was Jason’s turn to hand in a card – he did what any good GM should do by selecting the Best Player Available in Round 1 – as opposed to ‘reaching’ for a lesser talent because of a strong ‘need’ at a certain position…..
Egbuka was very high on Licht’s draft board. Probably like the 6th or 7th best player in the draft. Maybe top 5. Partially because he’s just that good of a football player. But also because – He is ‘THAT MAN’. Mature, Leader, impeccable character, LOVES the game, works relentlessly to improve and be the best player he can be, great teammate.
Its not a huge exaggeration to say the Bucs would probably be 2-4 right now if Licht HAD reached for a defensive player like Barron or Pearce at 19 instead of sticking to his board and selecting a top 10 talent in Emeka Egbuka.
Egbuka is 100% ‘THAT MAN’ – and he’s going to prove it again this week in Detroit – bad hammy be damned….
Take a bow Jason Licht – you NAILED this year’s first round draft pick!
If the Bucs can somehow manage to get Evans, Godwin, Egbuka, McMillan and Bucky together and healthy on the same field by January – I like our chances of getting to the Super Bowl this year as Mayfield just seems to be playing insanely high level and clutch football….. just imagine when he has all those great weapons to choose from…..
October 16th, 2025 at 11:18 am
I am glad that none of us are the GM!! In JL we trust!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 11:25 am
Man, EE2, what more can I say? Excellent comment, @Pickgrin. GO BUCS!!
October 16th, 2025 at 12:05 pm
Aqua, we don’t agree on a lot, but I very much agree with that, above. Let’s hope we’re both wrong.
October 16th, 2025 at 12:28 pm
the lions are a good team but they dont intimidate anyone that wears pewter and red!!!!!
todd bowles has shown he can have his team prepared and ready to play in a hostile environment!!!
bucs will be ready!!!…lions will be jacked up and too emotional just like their HC…pressure will be on them!!! THEY’LL BE PLAYING TIGHT!!!!..that’ll cause them to play undiscipline which will cost them points and opportunities!!!!
6-1!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 12:30 pm
We beat Atlanta
We beat Houston (night game and a QB that burnt us before)
Philly DID NOT BEAT US! (We beat ourselves-special team)
We beat Seattle in Seattle
We beat SF (a team that had our number)
Yet still some fans believe that “THE HISTORY GOD” will predict our future.
All I know is the character of our QB and the rest of the team including coaches has made me trust them 💯 %!!!! I’m no longer worry about injuries.
Btw Detroit has a few CBs out too.
Go Bucs!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 12:38 pm
do the clowns prefer:
SWEET CURRY CROW!!!!
OR
LEMON PEPPER CAJUN CROW!!!!
aqua has had both!!!!!!
6-1!!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!!
October 16th, 2025 at 2:35 pm
Hello Pickgrin,
You wrote, “We all expected a defensive player to come off the board to the Bucs at #19. Probably not an ILB as none were rated high enough …”
Perhaps you will qualify that to read that to end, “…by the Bucs.”
The Bucs were an outlier. Most evaluators found Jihaad Campbell to be worthy of a pick at #19.
For example, on Reddit, I found a reasonably representative “… Consensus Big Board of the NFL Draft aggregated from the following sources: The 33rd Team, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, CBS, NFL Draft Buzz, The Draft Network, Drafttek, ESPN, FOX Sports, NBC Rotoworld, NFL.com, Pro Football Focus, Pro Football Network, The Ringer, SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, Sports Info Solutions, Walter Football, Tankathon, USA Draft Wire, and Yahoo.”
Jihaad Campbell was ranked as a top twenty pick. Egbuka was ranked as a 21 to 40 pick. Carson Swesinger was ranked as a 41 to 60 pick.
After six weeks of the NFL season, ILBs Jihaad Campbell and Carson Swesinger are generally considered to be #2 and #3 in the Rookie Defensive Player of the Year race behind DE Abdul Carter. Meanwhile, Egbuka is #2 in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race behind QB Jaxson Dart. Of course, opinions may vary, and there are 11 weeks left in the season.
To the point of Walter Football, picking Egbuka was not a boneheaded choice given the age and health of Evans and Godwin and the number of games lost in their absence during the 2024 season. Egbuka would not have been there for the Bucs in the second round, so it was first round or bust if the Bucs wanted Egbuka. And, Egbuka has played even better on the field than the Consensus Big Board predicted. So, give the Bucs credit for that.
But, that doesn’t mean that picking Egbuka in the first round was sheer genius, either.
Just as the absence of Evans and Godwin cost the Bucs games in 2024, ILB play likewise was a game loser for the Bucs in 2024. And, so far, in 2025, it looks about the same although there did finally seem to be some improvement in Week 6.
My point is, has Egbuka given the Bucs more points than picking Campbell instead would have taken away from Bucs opponents?
There is a case to be made that it is a wash. And, if it is anywhere near a wash, looking at Week 6 with Egbuka out, if looks like the Bucs can replace a substantial portion of Egbuka’s production with other players who just were not on the field when he was.
At ILB, there are no players on the Bucs team who seem likely to contribute in the same tier as Campbell. So, in net gain, it looks like the Bucs would have been ahead taking Campbell, and that is consistent with the consensus of draft evaluators before the draft. And, it supports Walter Football’s point if just not to the extreme in which it was voiced.
The Bucs have won two Super Bowls. Both times they had an extraordinary ILB – Derrick Brooks and LaVonte David. They still have David, but his play has declined. Campbell still looks to me as if he was the key piece the Bucs need to be a current and future championship team.
October 16th, 2025 at 2:37 pm
Bucs historically do very poorly in primetime, in creamsicle uniforms, in Houston, against Shanahan and San Fran, in Seattle etc etc etc
We’re bucking trends and superstitions left and right this year….
October 16th, 2025 at 4:49 pm
toopanca – even most draftnicks had Campbell going somewhere between 20 and 32. His surgery right before the draft scared a # of teams off from drafting Jihaad in the 1st round as evidenced by the fact that he lasted until pick #31.
Meanwhile it was reported that 2 other teams were trying desperately to trade up into the late teens and couldn’t find a taker… as soon as the Bucs selected Egbuka – those trade up calls all stopped cold. So Licht wasn’t the only GM who saw extreme value in drafting Emeka at #19.
It was a bad draft for ILB as only 3 were considered to be top 50 players this year.
Licht deemed none of them worthy of #19 and all 3 were off the board by the Bucs 2nd rd pick – so ILB was just going to have to wait to be addressed with a higher pick next year.
If you can get a top 10 talent at #19 and feel confident in that evaluation – then you take that player – almost regardless of position. Which is exactly what Licht did.
October 16th, 2025 at 6:57 pm
So what kind of ILB draft should we look for in 2026?
October 16th, 2025 at 9:42 pm
SenileSenior –
Early info about next year’s crop of ILBers shows it will be similar to this year – in that there are currently no true top 15 prospects – with at least 3/4 players who are likely to be selected late in rd 1 or early rd 2…. Arvell Reese from Ohio State, Anthony Hill Jr from Texas, CJ Allen from Georgia and Sonny Styles from Ohio State could all be late 1st or fairly early 2nd rd selections….
Additional day 2 ILB prospects (Rd 2 or Rd 3)include Harold Perkins Jr and Whit Weeks – both from LSU, Jake Golday from Cincinnati and Deontae Lawson from Alabama…. so there will be more choices worthy of day 1 or 2 selection than there were this year.
October 17th, 2025 at 7:19 pm
Why do some feel the need to write magazine articles whenever they post on here?