The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are loving what they’re seeing from one of their rookies.
Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka has made a head-turning play each day of training camp, and his coaches are taking notice.
“OC Josh Grizzard says rookie WR Emeka Egbuka has exceeded expectations in terms of communication, picking up the playbook and running crisp routes,” Scott Smith wrote on X.
OC Josh Grizzard says rookie WR Emeka Egbuka has exceeded expectations in terms of communication, picking up the playbook and running crisp routes.
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) July 29, 2025
Some thought the Bucs reached when they took him at No. 19 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
They already seemed to be set at wide receiver and had other issues to address.
Nevertheless, Chris Godwin will be out for a while longer, and having Egbuka will allow them to ease the veteran back into action, especially if the rookie continues to pick things up as quickly as he’s done so far.
They’re each 6-foot-1 and weigh about the same, and they’re strong blockers with solid route-running skills, so Egbuka can be a seamless replacement.
The Buccaneers also have Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan, who broke out down the stretch last season.
Rookie Tez Johnson is also expected to be in the mix for targets.
With quarterback Baker Mayfield playing the best football of his career, the Buccaneers should be in the mix for another NFC South title.
NEXT: Tez Johnson Uses 2 Words To Describe Buccaneers’ WR Room