Emeka Egbuka has been at Ohio State for a very long time.

How long? Well, so long that the 22-year-old from Tacoma, Washington product has played with Chris Olave and Jeremiah Smith and has appeared in six postseason games, including the Peach Bowl, the Rose Bowl (twice), the Cotton Bowl (twice), and the CFB National Championship.

Egbuka has appeared in 60 games, has caught 205 balls for 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns, and has consistently proved why he deserves to be in the conversation for a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, to the point where even his former teammates are taking notice.

Discussing what it was like to play alongside the former Buckeye before the 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl with CBS Sports, OSU-turned-Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord celebrated the veteran receiver for always finding a way to impact games in a positive way.

“Every time he was on the field, good things happened,” McCord said via On3. “I think everybody can see his route running, his hands, his speed, his athleticism getting in and out of breaks. But I think the stuff that goes unnoticed? Just his run blocking, played in the slot a bunch, had no problem going and digging out a linebacker, and never complained about it either. Just having a guy like that who’s super talented in every aspect just being so unselfish to go and do what’s best for the team? I’m excited for his next step.”

While Egbuka has arguably never been the best wide receiver on the Buckeyes roster due to no fault of his own, he has found ways to remain successful nonetheless and will likely be able to translate that success to the NFL as a starting-caliber wide receiver at worst.

Article Continues Below
More NCAA Football News
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) throws during the second half of the Cotton Bowl Classic College Football Playoff semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Jan. 10, 2025. Ohio State won 28-14.
Ohio State lands stud OT over Texas, Texas A&MLorenzo J Reyna ·
Nov 29, 2024; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers mascot Bucky Badger performs prior to the game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Wisconsin release statement on RB’s ‘tragic passing’Zachary Draves ·
Oregon Ducks mascot The Duck leads the team entrance against the Washington State Cougars at Autzen Stadium.
Oregon football’s top 3 2026 targets after whiffing on Jared Curtis, Ryder LyonsScotty White ·
North Carolina Tarheels running back Omarian Hampton (28) runs the ball against the Florida State Seminoles during the third quarter at Doak S. Campbell Stadium.
North Carolina, Bill Belichick lands ex-Alabama commit to bolster secondaryLorenzo J Reyna ·
Ohio State mascot Brutus interacts with Lee Corso on the set of ESPN College GameDay prior to the College Football Playoff first round game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers
Lee Corso’s son is ‘disappointed’ by College GameDay’s Ohio State selectionScotty White ·
Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule holds the championship trophy as Cornhuskers players celebrate after the game against the Boston College Eagles at Yankee Stadium.
Nebraska’s Matt Rhule generously slaps Dana Holgorsen with labelLorenzo J Reyna ·
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) catches a pass against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first half in the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Daniel Jeremiah views Emeka Egbuka as a certified first-round pick

Evaluating Egbuka in relation to his peers, NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah placed Egbuka as the 25th-ranked prospect on his top 50: 2025 NFL Draft prospect 1.0 rankings.

“Egbuka is a strong, physical receiver with the ability to play inside or outside. He’s quick in his release, and he can fight his way through press coverage. He is more of a one-speed route runner, but he’s very comfortable working in traffic,” Jeremiah wrote. “He attacks the ball in the air in the middle of the field. On vertical routes, he tracks the ball well and has a knack for utilizing late hands to prevent defenders from playing the pocket and poking the ball away. He has a great feel for working in zones and adjusting his route if the play is prolonged. After the catch, he relies more on toughness than pure speed to create extra yards. Overall, I view Egbuka as an impact slot receiver in the mold of former Buckeye Jaxon Smith-Njigba.”

Will Egbuka go 25th overall, which is owned presently by the Houston Texans? Considering Tank Dell has a long road to recovery from a brutal knee injury, that's certainly possible, but hey, if he turns in a strong Senior Bowl and an even better 2025 NFL Combine, who knows? Maybe his stock will only continue to rise heading into April.