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Jan 20, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) celebrates with the trophy after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Bucs Super Bowl champ calls first-round pick ‘phenomenal’

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
By Dustin Lewis | Last updated May 4, 2025 3:43 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went in a direction not many saw coming in the opening round of the 2025 NFL Draft. With various needs on defense, the Buccaneers instead chose to upgrade their wide receiver room, selecting former Ohio State star Emeka Egbuka with the No. 19 overall pick.

A year after taking Jalen McMillan in the third round, the Buccaneers decided to add Egbuka to a position group that also includes stars Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Sterling Shephard and Trey Palmer are some of the other names on the roster ahead of the season.

Still, Egbuka could be a useful bridge between the present and future. Evans will turn 32 before the season kicks off while Godwin is 29 and coming off a season-ending ankle injury.

In a recent interview with Roto Grinders' Ben Mendelowitz, former Buccaneers safety and Super Bowl XXXVII Champion, Dexter Jackson, shared his thoughts on Tampa Bay drafting a wide receiver in the first round. He believes that Egbuka is a perfect fit for the franchise, considering he'll be learning from two seasoned veterans.

"With the talent that he has combined with the ability to learn from Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the sky is the limit for him. In just one year, he’ll be able to grow so much by learning from those guys," Jackson said. "With the way offenses are ran now in the NFL, they want to put up points in these 3-WR and 4-WR sets. They want to throw the football and spread it around, so Tampa Bay is a perfect fit for Egbuka."

"When you look at Ohio State’s track record with wide receivers in the last few years, it makes you think that Egbuka could be a phenomenal player for a really long time," Jackson added.

This move could end up being well-timed for general manager Jason Licht. Egbuka won't have to be the guy right out of the gate. Instead, he'll be able to lean on Evans and Godwin as he gets his feet wet at the NFL level.

Egbuka should only add to a Buccaneers passing attack that was one of the best in the league last year.

"Some people see Egbuka as a succession plan to Evans, but he won’t have to fill those shoes right away, as Evans is still producing at a high level," Jackson said. "But NFL means Not For Long, so it was smart to bring in a guy who can be a potential successor to Mike."

"Overall, I think it was a great selection by the Bucs, and Egbuka is going to contribute from day one while learning from two great Pro Bowlers in the same receiver room," Jackson continued.

During his final season at Ohio State, Egbuka had a big year as the Buckeyes won the National Championship. He recorded 81 catches for 1,011 yards and ten touchdowns while rushing eight times for 33 yards. Egbuka had seven games of 100+ receiving yards during his time with the Buckeyes.

Egbuka will begin his journey with the Buccaneers later this month during Tampa Bay's rookie minicamp.