Aqib Talib: Emeka Egbuka Shows Skills To Be A True All-Time Great
October 9th, 2025
How good is Bucs rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka?
Five-time Pro Bowl cornerback and Super Bowl-winner Aqib Talib is happy to answer that question.
Talib is sold. He’s all-in on Egbuka after five games.
Talib is a regular analyst on the The Arena, and he rolled out a red carpet for Egbuka this week.
The bar is very high when Talib talks about wide receivers, and Egbuka is worthy of elite status, per Talib.
“Listen, Emeka Egbuka is Ja’Marr Chase-like,” Talib said. “… He is the Rookie of the Year. He’s a legit No. 1. He’s a legit all-around receiver. He might not be the fastest, but it’s game speed. Some guys, when you throw that ball in the air, we could be running and it’s a little too far for some people, and some people got those last three steps and get to it. He can run that high 4.4 [second 40-yard dash] over a long period of time. Some guys die out. Some guys it takes them a long time to get to that 4.4. Some guys can just get to that 4.4 and run that thing for 50 yards straight. His game speed is crazy. His ball skills, his routes, he just know how to run routes. … He knows how to move defenders. You know what I’m saying? He knows how to control his body to catch these balls.
“Bro is special. I know special receivers when I see them. He is a special receiver. He’s going to score double-digit touchdowns this year and probably again next year. It’s Ja’Marr Chase-like. I’m telling you.”
That’s serious love from Talib, who doesn’t throw it around easily.
October 9th, 2025 at 2:16 pm
“Bro is special !
October 9th, 2025 at 2:18 pm
i see Larry Fitzgerald with a touch of Jamarr Chase lol
4-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 2:19 pm
It’s like Tom Brady is back again everyone talking about the bucs yup they are here boys.
October 9th, 2025 at 2:23 pm
I was today years old when I finally understood how game speed works. 4.4 for 50 solid. I get it now. Thanks Aqib!
October 9th, 2025 at 2:24 pm
I still can’t believe it.
If he was playing for a different team, you would think, “Of course”.
“He came from either LSU or Ohio St right?”
Isn’t that where the top 5 receivers right now went to school?
How did he last to pick 19?
I think the next article should be “How do we stop CMC from taking over the game with SVD as our LB”? I seriously would play nickel with 5 DBs and spy him every play out of the backfield because Mac Jones won’t be mobile and is injured anyway.
If we rely on SVD going sideline to sideline, he will ROAST us guaranteed you heard it right here.
It’s gonna infuriate me if Bowels lets this happen!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 2:26 pm
I was today years old when I learned what game speed really means. 4.4 over 50 yards with the ball changing directions is different than the combine. Thanks Aqib!
October 9th, 2025 at 2:27 pm
Dude is so un-Fitzgerald like that it’s ridiculous. Justin Jefferson and Jamarr Chase? Sure. Fitzgerald… not even close. They couldn’t have two more different body-types (Fitz was bigger and more physical), play speed (EE seems quite a bit faster), and Fitz never dropped a pass.
October 9th, 2025 at 2:36 pm
Greatness is assigned far too quickly now. Let him have one good season before we all start making HoF references. It’s over the top. Good start, yes.
October 9th, 2025 at 2:37 pm
SF injury report is FILLED with Dlinemen, not 5 but 8 on the list and DNP or LNP designations. Bucs will light up 49ers.
October 9th, 2025 at 2:37 pm
Billy Bucco, “How did he last to pick 19?” A credit to Licht and his team. These guys see special talent that others seem oblivious to. They find first class athletes in unlikely places. Jason’s draft record is approaching epic proportions. Come on now! Evans, Wirfs, Winfield, Barton, Egbuka, and on and on. I just wish he could hit some more home runs with DBs.
October 9th, 2025 at 2:51 pm
There is a lot to like about EE but everyone needs to slow down. Had EE stated at OSU for another year he would be the 3rd WR option behind Jeremiah Smith, a certain top 3 draft pick in 2026, and Carnell Tate. None of this diminishes EE. McMillan toward the end of last season did things similar to EE. The constant has been BM6 delivering perfect passes to both of them. My thinking is that CG will surprise all in the back half of the season and be #1. Mike Evans when he returns will be #2, and EE and JMac will be both #3’s. Nothing wrong with having 4 really great receivers. It is a great problem to have.
October 9th, 2025 at 2:59 pm
That’s what I was saying his game speed doesn’t match his 40 he seems way faster
October 9th, 2025 at 3:04 pm
Nobody will supplant EE as #1
October 9th, 2025 at 3:12 pm
Have you seen the running stats for SF this year LMAO
They are the only team who doesn’t have a rushing TD.
With Kittle out, they can’t block anybody.
They are literally 32nd in almost every major category rushing.
Their receivers are out!!! How are they 4-1?
If we can shut down CMC, we totally win this game!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 3:31 pm
Talib must be really impressed with the Bucs pass defense.
October 9th, 2025 at 3:34 pm
Good start. Long road ahead
October 9th, 2025 at 3:38 pm
BRANDON
look it up…
larry is an inch taller and 5lbs heavier than EE2…both run 4.46
chase is an inch shorter and 5lbs lighter than EE2 but run 4.38
neither are as physical as larry but EE2 is more physical than chase…
JJ aint even 200lbs lol
I dont think EE2 drops more than 3 passes the rest of the year
4-1!!!
GO BUCS!!!!
October 9th, 2025 at 3:55 pm
Gipper-
Emeka is already doing things mcmillan never did last year. The most yards jalen had in a game was 75, most catches 5. In 5 games, egbuka has had 3 go for 85+ and 2 have 6+ catches. In fact, in a game with more than one catch jalen never had over a 15 ypc average. Egbuka has had 3, and has a season average of nearly 18. The end of the year was nice for jalen, but its nothing close to what egbuka is doing.
I think the offense absolutely should run through emeka. He has shown that he can be an elite playmaker, and he is healthy and young. This allows you to use favorable matchups to get evans, godwin, tez and one day mcmillan the ball.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:11 pm
Godlovesbuca,
Check back with me at week 17. My comments stand. I had 4 really pretty girlfriends when I was a young man. The one I married, many years later, remains the prettiest. CG is going to shock and amaze all in back half of season.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:38 pm
813, Fitzgerald is a great comp. It’s the body control Mostly that makes me think of him.
October 9th, 2025 at 4:49 pm
One of the great moments in Bucs 50 years of history was when Aquib and his mom fought over a gun in the driveway for the privledge of pumping a coupleof slugs into Aqui’s sister’s boyfriend. You can’t have enough of those special family bonding moments with your mom. Just like a day at the lake on a warm summer day with those you love. The Waltons would be envious.
October 9th, 2025 at 5:33 pm
Got nothing against godwin or evans. Im saying egbuka is leaps and bounds ahead of both physically right now. And they need to come back slowly. No need to rush them into being the #1 with egbuka. Let them take advantage of easier matchups for once.
October 9th, 2025 at 9:56 pm
@132
Let me start off by saying that I’m wrong about the signals I’m picking up from young Egbuka.. I realize he’s brand new and he has A LONG way to go and A LOT of growing to do.. So I admit, I’m clearly premature in what I’m about to way and surely hope it isn’t the case. He’s VERY Young so..
132, You’re right. This hero worship is going to go to his head. Everybody is telling him he’s the best thing since sliced bread and he’s soaking it up and agreeing with them. This type of an attitude will lead to locker room problems.
He did make a statement that was off topic and kinda weird because Nobody asked him for the answer he initially gave. I was drafted in the first round “Because Of my God given skills and athleticism”…. Well, Duh! But Nobody asked him why he thought he was drafted in the first round (for one) But to say out loud , “because of My” God given skills comment Was certainly self serving but it was Also Not humble…
I just don’t want that me me me attitude sneaking into our locker room. ALL the heroes that currently reside at One Buc and Raymond James are All getting REAL CLOSE TO not being around to help to keep a “self serving attitude” In Check… Devin White comes to mind though I believe Egbuka is far smarter than him..
And the truth is, when someone gets Full of themselves, they don’t hang around for the “Team”. They are Way More interested in serving their Own glory. They tend to be hired guns and bounce from team to team.
You Never heard Mike Evens, Chris Godwin, or Larry Fitzgerald talk about how wonderful they are. AND ALL THREE OF THEM STAYED ON THE SAME TEAM (probably Chris too) FOR THE LIFE OF THEIR CAREERS…. There are Plenty of examples of guys who bounce from team to team that started off just as strong as EE… And they have No football family. Just highest bidders.
As I admitted, I’m probably Wrong. But… it’s something to watch for going forward. I almost wish he wasn’t having This Much success So Quickly and that at least One of the other 3 guys we have could also be in sharp game shape in order to spread some of the glory around… Grateful for his success, yet nervous about it at the same time…
October 9th, 2025 at 10:02 pm
Freaking spell check..
It’s Supposed to read like this…. Let me start off by saying “I Maybe” wrong….
October 10th, 2025 at 6:28 am
Enough Talib. Thug boy should be locked up some place.
Go Bucs!