CBS: Emeka Egbuka Not The Only Top Shelf Rookie WR In NFC South
October 22nd, 2025
Lofty rookie grade.
Going through various sources, Joe still sees a fair number of folks who think Bucs receiver Emeka Egbuka is still a favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
But it seems, per Josh Edwards of CBS, Egbuka has some company in the NFC South. Edwards likes Egbuka a lot. He currently has Egbuka with an “A-” grade for his rookie season.
Tampa Bay’s selection of Egbuka was curious at the time, but it has paid dividends in a few ways. First, the player has been impactful. Two, the Buccaneers have been dealing with injuries at the position, including to Egbuka, so depth has been important. Egbuka had the third-most receiving touchdowns with five and fifth-most receiving yards (469) in the league entering “Monday Night Football.”
There is room for him to grow as a blocker, but he is willing to get after it in that aspect as well.
Yeah, a rookie receiver has literally saved the Bucs’ season. But let’s ding him because he’s not Michael Clayton.
(For those not aware, then-Bucs rock star general manager Mark Dominik re-signed Clayton, who couldn’t catch a cold if he showered outside in Alaska in the winter, with an obscene contract for the sole purpose of blocking. Not because he could catch, but because he could block.)
Egbuka, however, is not the lone rookie receiver in the NFC South, to get an “A-” grade from Edwards. So too did Tetairoa McMillan of the Stinking Panthers.
October 22nd, 2025 at 2:07 am
If Baker would’ve been more accurate this past game, Egbuka could’ve had a big day and would still be considered the runaway Offensive ROY leader for sure.
And Baker would still be the leading candidate for NFL MVP.
Sadly, Baker played terrible and now neither of those things are true any more at this point.
Hopefully, that game was just a fluke.
October 22nd, 2025 at 4:43 am
@Eirk
You people need to stop talking like MVP’s never have bad games. In 2018 Mahomes had a game vs the Jags where he had 0TD’s and 2 INT’s. Even Brady in 2007 had 140 yards, 0TD’s and 1INT vs the Jets!
Even Rodgers 2020 season which to many is the most efficient QB season of all time where he threw 48TD’s to only 5INT’s the entire season, week 5 against us he threw 160 yards, 0TD’s and 2INTS!
Lets get off the doom and gloom train.
October 22nd, 2025 at 5:58 am
great point by @farmer ^^
October 22nd, 2025 at 6:45 am
To be fair Emeka was open a lot of the game. Baker couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn Monday night. The other Receivers and Tight Ends need to hang on to the ball. Tez is going to be a stud. We need to gameplan him in more. I want north and south football. Not east and west football. I can’t stand all the plays behind the line of scrimmage. Especially when you lose yards.
October 22nd, 2025 at 6:54 am
@Farmer, so you are saying that as fans we should not expect our QB to be a perfect Superman every week? Thank you for the common sense approach.
Any QB is only going to be as good the protection his Oline gives him. Goff is good bc his Oline protects him. Baker is the much better QB. Now the game plan against Baker will be to get pressure in the middle, get your hands up to tip passes and contain on the edge. Grizz needs to adjust, and I am certain he will.
Lets see how we play the Hints
October 22nd, 2025 at 6:59 am
Baker’s one bad game doesn’t make a season. Bucs should have kept Egbuka out for this game. Artificial grass has hurt so many players. Like maybe ME13.
October 22nd, 2025 at 6:59 am
Guess I’m missing something in this ROTY discussion. Article makes it sound like there are only 2 in the battle: Egbuka & McMillan. Both are getting lots of press coverage, but there are other offensive rookies who are doing quite well to date. And those include not just WRs, but also TEs & RBs.
Egbuka (6’1″ & 205 lbs) has played a bunch (370 off snaps … 79.6% availability) in our 7 games. He’s been targeted 54 times & caught 31 of those (57.4% catch percentage) for 527 yards receiving. Included in there are 5 TDs & 20 first downs.
McMillan (6’5″ & 212 lbs) has played even more (429 off snaps … 88.6% availability) in the Panthers 7 games. He’s been targeted 53 times & caught 30 of those (56.6% catch percentage) for 413 yards receiving. Included in there are 2 TDs & 24 first downs.
For rookies they’ve both been very impressive, but both have a ways to go in terms of catch percentage IMO (top WR this season is Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba with 50 catches in 70 targets (71.4%) for 819 yards, 4 TDs & 36 first downs).
But there are other rookies out there like Indy’s TE Tyler Warren who’s been targeted 45 times and caught 33 of those (73.3%) for 439 yards, 3 TDs & 22 first downs. So he’s been targeted less (45) than Egbuka or McMillian, but caught more (33) than either. Sounds like a keeper, and one who’ll likely end up in the ROTY discussion. Well, thayt is IF he can get the press to notice him.
October 22nd, 2025 at 7:52 am
Going to go out on a limb and say there won’t be any ROTY QBs this season like last year. LOL
Titans are not the team a newly drafted QB wants to go play for year one.
October 22nd, 2025 at 7:58 am
EE2 has been great!!!!
lets hope he shows up and shows out in NO!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 22nd, 2025 at 8:51 am
If the OL improves then Bake and Meka will eat. A little better run blocking will help White and open up play action for Meka.
October 22nd, 2025 at 10:02 am
Thank you, farmer!!
October 22nd, 2025 at 11:27 am
Hey! in Michael Clayton’s defense he was the BEST blocking WR in Bucs history. Unfortunately “Don’t throw it to Stonehands!” was very real. Tough SOB though.
October 22nd, 2025 at 11:35 am
Between the injuries, game film now put and crap coaching causing regression in Baker and the run game, the ROTY talk can be in the rear view mirror. No one thrives on offense in the Bowles Swoon of 2025.
October 22nd, 2025 at 1:10 pm
Tetairoa McMillan has been pretty great for the Panthers, looks like the real deal so far. Obviously still taking e2, but anyone knocking McMillan is a dope that clearly hasn’t been watching him play.
As for an A- because he should be a better blocker? Whoever wrote that is an idiot.
October 22nd, 2025 at 1:15 pm
Defense Rules – The article says NFC South.
Also, I agree on Warren, he’s been insanely good and should be in the conversation as top offensive rookie of the year with e2.
Of course none of that matters if Dart plays well, since he’s in NY and a QB he’s basically already got it locked up short of injury.