Welcome to Tampa, Emeka Egbuka

[Sdbucs]

At the end of the day I work in finance these guys work in football. My armchair analysis isn’t happy with the pick but I trust Licht and will look for positives and support the pick.

I was always fine with us taking WR here, just wanted McMillan or Golden. Gotta learn more about this guy.

Evans and Godwin are both hurt every year. We don’t want to end up in a situation where it’s McMillan and Shepherd. So I get the pick

[Central_Buc]

I wanted to see CB but Hopefully this pans out, I'm all for getting a top WR here.

Seems like good value here.

[Doctor]

[Doctor]

If I was going WR, I probably would have gone Golden. By adding Egbuka, we have a logjam of guys with a somewhat similar skillset. Evans is the only guy that can take the top off and scare a defense deep. Golden would have added more of that dimension.

But, Licht is the pro GM with a good record taking WR's and I am not. I'll roll with it.

What you call a in log jam some would call excellent depth. Excellent depth turned key target in 1-2 years. If not highly likely this winter. This is bad?

[Doctor]

I will say that I love this post draft interview with Emeka. This kid is a leader and what you want character wise.

Wow.

Licht said he would have vomited if he traded down and suddenly this kid went off the board. After that interview, I can see it. That insight into leadership being "scenario-dependent" but "always leading by example regardless."

Impressive as hell.

I get it (Licht's thoughts above).

You don't pass on LVDs.

[Phantom]

I mean I get this this pick. When Evans and Godwin went down. We didn’t move the ball at all. So, he’ll help even things out.

Day 2 should be all defense.

[Redrum]

My take from what I've watched on YouTube: Has good concentration through the catch. Doesn't get distracted when the defensive back’s hands are shielding his vision. Savvy route runner. Comes back to the football. High football IQ. Makes his QB’s life easier. Better contact balance than given credit for. Still standing after midfield collision vs. Indiana (Voch Lombardi 6:56 in). Saw him break a few tackles on bubble screens and even line up in the backfield. May never be more than a slot guy. Unlikely to bust barring injuries. Early impact due to polish. Good blocker. WR coach was Brian Hartline who comps. him to Amon Ra St. Brown. How much better can he get? Well spoken. Seems like a great person off the field. Voted Captain at Ohio State. All time leading Ohio State WR. Very impressive considering all the greats to come out of there.

[Cheb]

I'm sorry, I read all the justifications and cannot bring myself to feel excited. Great kid, great character. How much can he help Bucs in 2025 compared to a Jahdae Barron or Ezeiruaku?

I think this line of thinking is tempting. My counterargument would be this:

The strength of our offense is our receiving core, which is great but in danger.

For one, Mike's contract runs out next season, so who knows if he goes elsewhere or retires. And while Evans is a certified baller, he goes off the field after every catch. Let's not forget, the dude is going to be 32 on opening day.

Chris Godwin, God bless him, is aging and coming off another season ending injury with a questionable timetable on his return.

Jalen McMillan had a great rookie year, but he can not and should not be expected to carry the passing game when Evans and Godwin inevitably aren't together anymore (next season?).

Palmer is in the doghouse for some reason, and those other guys from Shepard on down are JAGs.

There's a non zero chances that Evans and/or Godwin miss games this year due to age and repeat injury, in what may be their final season together. What happens then? I'll tell you what happened last year when both were out; the three games that Evans and Godwin both were out resulted in a three game losing streak.

And what, pray tell, will defenses do to our offense if/when Evans and Godwin aren't here if they don't have anyone behind them to threaten them in the passing game? They will spin down their safeties and crash the run game, which will kill the run game in its tracks. To whom does Baker turn when his favorite two guys are out? McMillan and Otton did their best, but their best wasn't good enough last season.

What futureproofs the roster for when Evans and Godwin aren't around anymore? What keeps those safeties from overloading on the run game? What scores points to allow our defense to play with a lead, allowing for more pass rushing opportunities? The answer is the same, at least for this team at this juncture: receiving threats.

I like Emeka Egbuka. He caught a fuckton of balls at Ohio State (more than 200), gets open, and seems to have very high football character. Also, watching Sterling Shepard play football is like drinking hotdog water, so anything to avoid that makes me happy.

Welcome to Tampa, Emeka. Don't let the haters fretting over the defense get you down.

[Jonny]

I'm sorry, I read all the justifications and cannot bring myself to feel excited. Great kid, great character. How much can he help Bucs in 2025 compared to a Jahdae Barron or Ezeiruaku?

I think this line of thinking is tempting. My counterargument would be this:

The strength of our offense is our receiving core, which is great but in danger.

For one, Mike's contract runs out next season, so who knows if he goes elsewhere or retires. And while Evans is a certified baller, he goes off the field after every catch. Let's not forget, the dude is going to be 32 on opening day.

Chris Godwin, God bless him, is aging and coming off another season ending injury with a questionable timetable on his return.

Jalen McMillan had a great rookie year, but he can not and should not be expected to carry the passing game when Evans and Godwin inevitably aren't together anymore (next season?).

Palmer is in the doghouse for some reason, and those other guys from Shepard on down are JAGs.

There's a non zero chances that Evans and/or Godwin miss games this year due to age and repeat injury, in what may be their final season together. What happens then? I'll tell you what happened last year when both were out; the three games that Evans and Godwin both were out resulted in a three game losing streak.

And what, pray tell, will defenses do to our offense if/when Evans and Godwin aren't here if they don't have anyone behind them to threaten them in the passing game? They will spin down their safeties and crash the run game, which will kill the run game in its tracks. To whom does Baker turn when his favorite two guys are out? McMillan and Otton did their best, but their best wasn't good enough last season.

What futureproofs the roster for when Evans and Godwin aren't around anymore? What keeps those safeties from overloading on the run game? What scores points to allow our defense to play with a lead, allowing for more pass rushing opportunities? The answer is the same, at least for this team at this juncture: receiving threats.

I like Emeka Egbuka. He caught a fuckton of balls at Ohio State (more than 200), gets open, and seems to have very high football character. Also, watching Sterling Shepard play football is like drinking hotdog water, so anything to avoid that makes me happy.

Welcome to Tampa, Emeka. Don't let the haters fretting over the defense get you down.

The justification is not good enough. I am someone that wanted Bucs to draft Brian Thomas Jr in last year's draft, even if it meant trading up to 15 if necessary. BTJ looked like a spectacular athlete at college and he looked like one with Jags.

Egbuka on the other hand doesn't intimidate anyone with his athleticism.

Injuries to critical players will always hurt teams. Yes Evans and Godwin are both north of 30. But why are we drafting like a team that has a stacked roster? Our defense is depleted even without anyone getting injured, because we don't have enough good players on that side.

[Barnzy]

Not sure this is a home run pick but I like the pick. It's a premium position for a guy with proven production and he tested fairly well (not amazingly). All the junkie film head guys really like to love this guy. I haven't found anyone that really doesn't besides Chris Simms. I have gone and watched more of his tape now and I still like the pick.

It will be interesting to compare this guy to Golden going forward. I will say that. Golden was consensus higher and obviously runs a 4.29. Not sure he does the WR nuance stuff as well as Egbuka but there's a gap in explosiveness.

Drafting WR is a strength for Licht so I think this pick will age well. Edge not so much. I was scared they were going to go for an edge like Mykel Williams if he slipped through who has no bend and didn't have the production. Lots of good defensive players available left in rounds 2-3 at DB, edge etc left.

[Grahamburn]

Impressive kid.

[Grahamburn]

Everyone preaches stay true to your board and take the best player available. Then they do that and people still complain.

Antoine Winfield Jr. was the 45th pick. LaVonte David was the 58th pick. Carlton Davis was the 63rd pick. YaYa Diaby was the 82nd pick. Jamel Dean was the 94th pick. Zyon McCollum was the 157th pick.

The defense will be addressed tonight and tomorrow.

A lot of the guys we were mocking with the 19th pick are still available right now, so consensus clearly was they weren't worthy of being first rounders.

There's an argument for Jahdae Barron and we'll have to follow his career closely, but Bowles is notorious for not liking small frame corners. I really liked Malaki Starks as well.

[Grahamburn]

[Kona]

A quote from Todd Bowles at the March League Meetings

"I think, being a defensive coach, I learned that you win by scoring points," Bowles said. "So I don't ever want to bypass a very good offensive player. I can figure things out enough on defense to make us competitive... On defense, we can figure out a way to keep the score down, but you can't figure out a way to keep scoring points, especially if your horses go down."

He wasn’t lying lol

[reagan SMASH]

I will say that I love this post draft interview with Emeka. This kid is a leader and what you want character wise.

Omg this kid has it going on!!!! Wow!!!

Wow, so well-spoken and seems like a great guy to have in the locker room. I wasn't happy with the pick when it was made because I wanted defense, but I get the pick. And if Licht is sold, then I'm sold.

[Grahamburn]

[Grahamburn]

[Bootz]

14 personnel? You expecting us to be lining up with 4 TEs any time soon? That isnt even a grouping and I don't even think we keep 4 active during game day.

The tighter the better.

Gonna laugh at the fact that you don't know at "14" personnel grouping would be 1 RB, 4 TEs and 0 WRs, but literally no team uses a formation like that.

Instead of digging in, why don't you say what you really meant. I can't imagine you think we'll use a formation where our WRs are on the sideline for most of the game.

[Central_Buc]

I mean I get this this pick. When Evans and Godwin went down. We didn’t move the ball at all. So, he’ll help even things out.

Day 2 should be all defense.

It definitely will be. I think he knows fans will have a conniption fit if he takes a OL or TE or WR again

[Grahamburn]

The tighter the better.

Gonna laugh at the fact that you don't know at "14" personnel grouping would be 1 RB, 4 TEs and 0 WRs, but literally no team uses a formation like that.

Instead of digging in, why don't you say what you really meant. I can't imagine you think we'll use a formation where our WRs are on the sideline for most of the game.

You know what he meant though, right? 4 WR sets for us will be pretty nasty. That's what he meant. Why go out of your way to try to make people feel stupid?

[Buc2]

The best thing about these videos is learning how to pronounce his name.
Thanks, for sharing them.

[Snake]

If I was going WR, I probably would have gone Golden. By adding Egbuka, we have a logjam of guys with a somewhat similar skillset. Evans is the only guy that can take the top off and scare a defense deep. Golden would have added more of that dimension.

But, Licht is the pro GM with a good record taking WR's and I am not. I'll roll with it.

Cris Collinsworth said the same thing during the PFF draft show. His ensuing argument wasn’t the best, but yeah, he said he would’ve preferred Golden because he doesn’t think Emeka adds a complementary skillset to the current team.

[Buc2]

If I was going WR, I probably would have gone Golden. By adding Egbuka, we have a logjam of guys with a somewhat similar skillset. Evans is the only guy that can take the top off and scare a defense deep. Golden would have added more of that dimension.

But, Licht is the pro GM with a good record taking WR's and I am not. I'll roll with it.

Cris Collinsworth said the same thing during the PFF draft show. His ensuing argument wasn’t the best, but yeah, he said he would’ve preferred Golden because he doesn’t think Emeka adds a complementary skillset to the current team.

It will be complementary if the plan is to move Godwin outside and play Egbuka in the slot.

[Grahamburn]

The best thing about these videos is learning how to pronounce his name.
Thanks, for sharing them.

Is the "g" silent? Seems like announcers don't pronounce it.

[Buc2]

The best thing about these videos is learning how to pronounce his name.
Thanks, for sharing them.

Is the "g" silent? Seems like announcers don't pronounce it.

In the 3rd video PM posted, they pronounced the "g" in his name. Now you have me wondering. Is it Egbuka or EgBuka.

[Grahamburn]

Cris Collinsworth said the same thing during the PFF draft show. His ensuing argument wasn’t the best, but yeah, he said he would’ve preferred Golden because he doesn’t think Emeka adds a complementary skillset to the current team.

It will be complementary if the plan is to move Godwin outside and play Egbuka in the slot.

We use so much motion now they'll all move around to get the best matchup.

[Buc2]

It will be complementary if the plan is to move Godwin outside and play Egbuka in the slot.

We use so much motion now they'll all move around to get the best matchup.

Good point.

[Bootz]

Gonna laugh at the fact that you don't know at "14" personnel grouping would be 1 RB, 4 TEs and 0 WRs, but literally no team uses a formation like that.

Instead of digging in, why don't you say what you really meant. I can't imagine you think we'll use a formation where our WRs are on the sideline for most of the game.

You know what he meant though, right? 4 WR sets for us will be pretty nasty. That's what he meant. Why go out of your way to try to make people feel stupid?

Oh you again..... Clearly you're not talking about me, right? Doc is going up and down this and the draft thread criticizing any and everyone who wanted us to go a different direction. As if he KNEW this would be the move and anyone who disagrees is stupid.

If you come in that hot, at least know what the fuck you're talking about. He likes floating around here high on whatever sycophant-like drugs he's on pretending he knows all. He doesn't get the benefit of the doubt because he doesn't give others the same.

So if me asking him to clarify his mistake is me going out of my way to make him feel stupid, guilty as charged.

[Pirate Life]

[Snake]

I guess you don’t get the social media “engagement” if you don’t use hyperbole these days

[Kress]

In the first round, I generally look best player available (with the QB exception). I don't care about needs, I care about long-term gain and finding a potential franchise type of guy. I'm not necessarily saying we've done that here, but I just look at the pick, then look at who else was available, and see if there's a glaring choice I would have made instead. I could probably argue for some others, but I could also argue against those same people, so I'm good. Egbuka was arguably the best player on the board at that point, so Egbuka it is.

[Nobody]

I guess what I might say to those who are consternated is the following:

1) 3rd and 7 is a problem to convert. But this offense featuring 10 personnel is going to be a problem for defenses in that situation. You put Evans/Godwin/McMillan/Egbuka and either Irving or White? Man. That is going to be a problem. That is a diverse grouping with an enormous number of ways to line up and get that 7 yards.

Egbuka brings some serious juice unique to this grouping in that situation. They're going to be facing zone in that situation the overwhelming % of the time and his zone-savvy is off the charts. He's sure-handed so he can be relied upon in that situation. He is a great blocker with a broad toolkit so if they decide to go Perimeter Screen or sneak a run in (particularly in neutral field position where they're ok with turning 3rd and 7 into 4th and 1 and going for it), he becomes a weapon...not just a guy.

Turning the tables on the NFL's 3rd and 7 dynamic by flooding the WR talent on this team could be a significant gamechanger due to its drive-extension prospects.

2) This offense's core concepts in the passing game aren't built around "taking the top off." It is built around (i) challenging sideline to sideline from behind the line of scrimmage to the intermediate area, (ii) around deft usage of space therein and defender manipulation, and (iii) zone flooding vs 2/3 and giving problems to matchup mesh points. This kid's college tape shows enormous capability in the particulars of what those concepts require out of its WRs. He should amplify everything this offense does, including the running game, the prolific misdirection/false key game (he is so good at his misdirection/false keys in his route running and setups), and blocking for Godwin and Bucky/White on Perimeter Screens.

3) There is no guarantee that we won't see drop-off with the loss of Coen. None of us know. I don't even think the people in the building know. Maybe he is a freakish savant and an uncomfortable (to us) portion of those results were due to his gameplanning and playcalling. Or maybe not. Maybe the collective of guys left behind won't miss a beat. But getting another extremely capable weapon with a diverse, scheme-amplifying skillset is a great hedge against the former situation!

[Swashbuckler]

I have calmed down from the shock and will say this.


I've watched Jason Licht throw what feels like dozens of high capital draft picks on defense who end up sucking. His batting average may ironically be around .300 because these picks flop out more often than not. So if he and Todd Bowles were not impressed with what was on the board and went pure BPA because they identified defensive talent (that will be on the board still) and will make a difference in the 2nd round and beyond... then I understand the logic.

I'll be goddamned if I'm gonna sit through ANOTHER Vernon Hargreaves, JTS and Logan Hall if Carlton Davis is right there in round 2.

[Pirate Life]

I guess you don’t get the social media “engagement” if you don’t use hyperbole these days

Connolly doesn't really need to use hyperbole to get clicks, he's pretty good at evaluating talent and film. He's been comparing Egbuka to Puka/Amon for a while now because of his route running skills, short-area quickness and his hands.

Either way, time will tell.

[Nobody]

I thought of the Puka/Amon comparison as well. The big difference for me is both of those guys are absolute monsters after the catch. That is a very unique, very particular skillset. While Egbuka looks like Amon before the catch and in the run game, I don't see anything on film that he possesses that very unique YAC skillset. That isn't a knock on Egbuka by the way. Rare is the WR (like Godwin and these guys) that are monster YAC players and Screen game focal points.

So I think Amon Ra St Brown minus the YAC/Screen game toolkit is a good aspiration in terms of comparison.