Emeka Egbuka “Big Slot”
May 12th, 2025
Rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka.
OK, so rookie minicamp is over. Joe got to watch two underwear football practices, one outdoors in the heat, one in the air conditioning of the Glazer Shed.
And since there is no hitting, trying to gauge how edge rusher David Walker or defensive tackle Elijah Roberts looked is a total waste of time.
So, as one observes with flag football (which is what underwear football is), it’s all about the skill position players.
So, here is some brief insight into Bucs draft picks and one name UDFA.
Receiver Emeka Egbuka: Hard to get a full read since the camp meat quarterbacks were hardly precise. The word Joe can use to describe Egbuka is “smooth.” No alligator arms in traffic and had no issue getting his feet down on plays along the sideline. Consistently found open space. Joe can’t recall seeing Egbuka drop a catchable ball other than a punt. Joe did see QB Connor Bazelak (Bowling Green) throw so far behind Egbuka on a crossing pattern that if Bazelak was a baseball pitcher, he would have been tossed for throwing behind the batter.
Cornerback Jacob Parrish: Joe thinks the Bucs may have something here. It was just two days of underwear football practice, but Parrish certainly looked like he belonged in the big-time. Had a pick-six Friday and had two pick-sixes on Saturday.
Receiver/returner Tez Johnson: The guy brings some style and flair. And he certainly has wiggle after the catch. When QB Jordan McCloud (Texas State) fastball’d a pass over the middle, Johnson did a nice job skying for the ball and hauling the pass in. At least for that one play, Johnson played a lot taller than his 5-10 height.
Shilo Sanders: Practiced as advertised: Smart and loud and professionally.
When it comes to Egbuka, the failed minor league pitcher and former high priest of the PFF tribe, Steve Palazzolo, had him categorized as a “big slot” and said his NFL comps for Egbuka are Cooper Kupp, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Tyler Boyd or Chris Godwin.”
If Egbuka turns into one of those players, the Bucs made a helluva pick.
May 12th, 2025 at 7:08 am
I always get extremely excited during the preseason. I cannot get enough. I wish we had more camp clips.
May 12th, 2025 at 7:18 am
Great stuff and their energy is showing. It’s getting more and more exciting!
May 12th, 2025 at 7:38 am
The Bucs D has a “chance” to be incredibly improved.
Troll insert here(Bowles will coach it out of them, they sucked so badly last season they HAVE to be better…yada yada yada) There trolls saved you some keystrokes.
So if Parrish is the real deal those picks loom HUGE. Dean, even when he’s healthy may be able to cover but he can’t catch and he doesn’t compete well for the balls up for grabs. Parrish could be a ball hawk.
If AW is healthy, and Parrish is out there ball hawking it could get really exciting.
Every DC’s wet dream…TURNOVERS!!!
May 12th, 2025 at 7:40 am
Looking forward to seeing the rookies joining the vets for OTAs.
May 12th, 2025 at 7:44 am
I just wonder how good Tykee will be at Safety?
That’s the only way you get Morrison and Parrish out there.
We have the money to pay Ramsey.
We have the money to sign Kyzir White.
Would they start though?
Ramsey would almost have to.
Then what do you do with Tykee?
It’s not easy fielding the best 11 this year.
May 12th, 2025 at 7:46 am
First Last, Same here!
May 12th, 2025 at 7:58 am
Billybucco i may be wrong but that cap money is prob for Zyon n Goedeke extensions, possibly Otton too, we have a lot of ILBs on our roster going into camp, Kyzir is still a FA for a reason, prob waiting on a training camp injury on a contender to sign somewhere
May 12th, 2025 at 7:58 am
Go Bucs
May 12th, 2025 at 8:11 am
I would not be surprised if all of the 2025 draft picks, including Tez, make the team. If that happens, Licht will add to his credentials for HOF consideration. Just need another SB to add to his collection.
May 12th, 2025 at 8:40 am
I am doing a position by position comparison of this team versus our recent SB team. The offensive line will be just as good and the Dline could be better. The addition of EE reminds me of adding AB during our Super Bowl run. Probably would have gone back to back if AB hadn’t gone berserk on the sideline. EE could bring a similar spark. Though Culp is no Gronk he will add more juice to our already potent offense. Baker is no Brady but our offense should be able to give us enough cushion to cover for his annual playoff ending turnover.
Can our defense produce enough outside pressure to match the production of JPP and Shaq during the SB run? If so, position by position, with the exception of QB and TE we could be better than our last SB team and our core of great young players could propel us to Kansas City like domination of the league.
May 12th, 2025 at 9:04 am
I agree they should get Goedeke done, but not sure about Zyon yet.
He needs to put together a season with 4-6 picks to get paid 20 million a year.
May 12th, 2025 at 9:09 am
This draft could go down as one of the better ones when it’s all said and done. We will have to wait and see, but it is possible.
May 12th, 2025 at 9:12 am
It looks like Trey Hendrickson is still available. We would instantly become Super Bowl favorites with him on our roster. Pull the trigger Jason
May 12th, 2025 at 9:23 am
Parrish is gunning for SVD’s camp pick-6 record
May 12th, 2025 at 9:43 am
We need to lock goedeke up ONLY if he stays concussion free. Missing him last year was scary and we can’t invest in broken down goods on our o line. Plus we really need to look at extending Mayfield before he has an mvp season, which my gut is telling me will be soon. Go Bucs 🏴☠️
May 12th, 2025 at 10:15 am
green eggsbuka & ham
May 12th, 2025 at 10:26 am
Theres only so many Ja’Marr Chase, type guys out there that are thick bodied, runs a 4.3 with a 40 inch vert. Cooper Kupp and Justin Jefferson are/were completely unstoppable, both 4.5 ish type guys. There have been decades and decades of use cases that suggests (show) running a 4.3 40 is not the end all be all and yet – people will forever be hung up on it. A 40 can also be very misleading because there are many track guys that run grown men races like the 100m and 200m, running a relatively pedestrian 40, but are obviously much MUCH better runners than any football player. I say this to say that we should pump the brakes on assuming that his ceiling is a WR2. If hes anywhere near Cooper Kupp then the guy will be our WR1 when Evans retires
May 12th, 2025 at 10:40 am
I think I’d like them Sam Adam. From NY.
May 12th, 2025 at 10:53 am
Hey Joe, are you allowed to take video and post it here from camp?
May 12th, 2025 at 12:34 pm
Tez Johnson gets 3 pick sixes in two practices? Wow, if he can average that in games this fall he might just stick with the team.
May 12th, 2025 at 12:52 pm
Reading Is Fundamental! Jacob Parrish had 3 pick-sixes, Tez is the Fast as Hell WR.
May 12th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
The is the time of year for crazy dreams and flights of fancy – four receivers with a thousand yards on the Bucs team; Mayfield throwing for a record six thousand yards; dealer’s wild.
Egbuka looks like an excellent addition.
But, considering the players who were still on the board, if it’s true that the Texans at 25 and Rams at 26 we’re trying to trade with the Bucs at 19, I would gladly give up Egbuka for whoever was next on the board plus a third round pick. There were still a lot of really good looking players still to choose from.
May 12th, 2025 at 2:25 pm
Only for the stuff not worth watching. 🙁 Can only shoot video/photos of guys warming up or doing individual drills. Once they start with “team drills,” everything gets shut down (including social media).
May 12th, 2025 at 2:31 pm
Toopanca-
Interesting. Here’s a likely illustration of that tradeback.
Bucs get #25 #79 Take EZ the BC Edge or ILB Schwesinger
#58 Ben Morrison #79 WR Iowa Jaylin Noel #84 Jacob Parrish and the rest of their current picks.
Egbuka vs EZ (or Schwesinger) & Jalin Noel.
May 12th, 2025 at 3:28 pm
I will wait to see how the rookies fare, even in flag-football, against the vets. Then we matriculate onto padded practices, training camp, joint practices, preseason.
Practice notes so far give reason for optimism. Good start for some of our draftees!
I am pretty optimistic about our draft picks this year. I just have a good feeling about almost all of them.
May 12th, 2025 at 3:44 pm
Wonder when we see Morrison hit the field
May 12th, 2025 at 4:22 pm
Vea, Suh, JPP and Shaq were absolute beasts in 2020.
Not sure what you’re seeing that would make you think our current D-line will be better? I guess IF Diaby can take the next step and IF Reddick returns to his prime form and IF Vea and Kancey both stay healthy… maybe it’s possible. But that’s a lot of ifs…
May 12th, 2025 at 5:02 pm
Toopanca. ‘But, considering the players who were still on the board, if it’s true that the Texans at 25 and Rams at 26 we’re trying to trade with the Bucs at 19, I would gladly give up Egbuka for whoever was next on the board plus a third round pick. There were still a lot of really good looking players still to choose from.’
BINGO