Emeka Egbuka: First Round Spark Plug

Ohio State wide receiver (WR) Emeka Egbuka jumped off the screen and those are the ones you’re looking for when you do this.

My NFL Scouting Mentor, a man with four Super Bowl rings, used to tell me, “Stick with the dynamic ones,” and Egbuka is indeed dynamic.

Some receivers make plays, while others are playmakers. Egbuka fits the description of the latter.

He’s a playmaker who shows some similarities to the Vikings’ first-round pick (No. 23) in this past draft, WR Jordan Addison.

Egbuka has big play capability. I really like him. So much so, I can see myself ordering his jersey after the draft.

I have a strong feeling about this one.

He’s exciting to watch.

Egbuka moves the meter.

Dynamic No. 2 receiver

He’s not an NFL team’s No. 1 receiver with his diminutive frame, but he makes a heck of a complimentary No. 2 who currently values as a later first-round pick in Addison’s range (20-32).

Egbuka looks smooth and explosive on game film.

His movements are fluid, quick, crisp, and polished.

While he consistently stretched defenses downfield, he does most of his work in the short-to-intermediate range with a noticeable spring in his step. No question, he’s more quick than fast. Ohio State tried to get him involved in short wide receiver bubble screens with mixed results. He’s better at gaining additional yardage if he gets out beyond the congestion around the line of scrimmage.

Egbuka isn’t as elusive as he is a tough and determined runner after the catch.

Tough cookie

Egbuka isn’t afraid to mix it up and he doesn’t shy away from contact.

Case in point, this above catch against Iowa. Some receivers would have “alligator armed” this one with the defender closing in (a football term used to describe how a receiver becomes more concerned about contact than catching the ball and shortens arm extension accordingly).

Not Egbuka – – he maintained his focus, made the grab, and then absorbed the contact.

This Ohio State receiver routinely was making catches in traffic.

There’s no back down in Egbuka, he was even seen getting in the way of a Michigan defensive lineman (No. 91) on a run play. However, this is a double-edged sword. One of the biggest negatives is that sometimes he can get outdone physically. This was true occasionally when he got hit and couldn’t hold on. He also got knocked off a few routes.

More productive NFL career than Marvin Harrison Jr.?

Egbuka’s teammate is the highly regarded 2024 NFL Draft prospect Marvin Harrison Jr. Together, Egbuka and Harrison make the top receiving tandem in all of college football.

If Harrison goes top-10, and Egbuka falls to the 20-32 range, it’s conceivable Egbuka could end up having a better pro career. That’s because teams that pick in the 20-32 range are playoff-caliber teams and teams picking in the top 10 tend to have the worst records in the league.

Better team = better QB?

#2 Emeka Egbuka 6-foot-1, 205 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 89.1% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of July 28, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

2022 game film reviewed: Iowa, Penn State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Georgia (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: 74 receptions (106 targets 70% catch rate), 1,151 yards (15.6 avg), 10 TD, long-69 yards

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Quick energetic determined receiver with confident hands who can stretch a defense and make plays. Lean and muscular frame. Sudden movements. Excels short to intermediate as a high-volume target and catch contributor. Darts around. Has a knack for creating route leverage and separation. Knows how to get open. On vertical releases longer strider with building speed. Crisp change of direction. Strong confident hands. Excellent concentration. Tough. Competitive. The biggest negatives are when defenders overpower him, decent, but not great catch radius, and a lack of home-run deep speed. Good run blocker who’s willing to stick his nose in.

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Production increase or decline?

2. Deep catches?

3. Catch radius?

4. Does he get overpowered on routes?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, contributes at Yardbarker, and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.