2024 NFL Draft Player Preview: Emeka Egbuka





  • Emeka Egbuka, 6-1/205

  • Wide Receiver

  • Ohio State


  • Emeka Egbuka 2024 Preview
    By Charlie Campbell

    Career Recap: Ohio State has been a factory for first-round wide receivers, and the program’s streak will continue in 2024 with Marvin Harrison Jr. The Buckeyes, however, have been ending up with multiple wideouts in the first round in some drafts, like in 2022 with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. The 2024 NFL Draft could be like that, as Egbuka could easily join Harrison with a first-round grade. Egbuka was a top recruit who flashed as a kick returner in 2021, averaging 29 yards per return while catching nine passes for 191 yards.

    In 2022, Egbuka took over as a starter across from Harrison and broke out with 74 receptions for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also contributed as a punt returner at times.



    2023 Season Outlook: Egbuka has a number of easy opponents, especially early in 2023, but he will take on some good corner talent if everybody stays healthy. On Oct. 21, Egbuka could see one of the top cornerback prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft in Penn State’s Kalen King. Two weeks later, Egbuka will see another good corner in Rutgers’ Max Melton. To end the season, Egbuka will take on some talented secondaries with Minnesota and Michigan.

    Skill-Set Summary: While Harrison will get more media attention as a prolific receiver who is the child of an NFL Hall of Famer, Egbuka is a serious talent for the next level in his own right and should end up with plenty of teams hoping to land him in the 2024 NFL Draft. Egbuka is more in the mold of Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Garrett Wilson in terms of speed and style of play.

    Similar to those three wideouts, Egbuka is a speed threat who can rip off long gains on any reception. Egbuka is fast and can run by defensive backs. He has the ability to challenge defenses over the top and is a threat to go vertical for a score on any reception. Alongside being fast, Egbuka is a smooth route-runner who does not take extra steps and glides through the secondary with easy speed. Thanks to his route-running and quickness, Egbuka is constantly generating separation to get open for his quarterback. Off the line, Egbuka is explosive and shifty. He will flat out juke cornerbacks with impressive stop-start ability and a serious burst out of his breaks. Egbuka is sudden and shifty through his route and has explosion out of his cuts, making defenders really struggle to prevent him from generating separation.



    Egbuka is a hands catcher with polished technique. After the catch, he is a shifty runner who will dodge tacklers and weave his way through the defense, using nifty footwork to keep defenders from getting a hold of him.

    Like Wilson and Olave, Egbuka does not have mismatch height, strength or length. He looks like a future starter in the NFL with the versatility to be an outside receiver or line up in the slot.



    2024 NFL Draft Expectations: Egbuka looks like a potential first-round pick for the 2024 NFL Draft entering the 2023 season.






    RELATED LINKS:


    2024 NFL Mock Draft: Charlie’s | Walt’s


    2024 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings


    2024 NFL Draft Player Previews








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