Emeka Egbuka’s strong start to open up his NFL career comes as no surprise to Baker Mayfield.
The Buccaneers quarterback said that Egbuka “doesn’t act like a rookie” in his off-field work, adding that the wide receiver has impressed him since Tampa Bay took him in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Since Day 1, just talking to him, you can tell he’s just extremely cerebral,” Mayfield told Mark Sanchez on FOX Sports’ “Rearview” podcast. “Obviously, you get drafted that high, your physical talents are off the charts, that is what it is. But he’s just so smart. Football IQ through the roof, just understands what we’re trying to get done.”
When the Buccaneers drafted Egbuka, some felt it was a luxury pick at the time. They already had Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan on their roster, forming arguably the best wide receiver trio in the NFL.
However, all three of those receivers have dealt with injury in the early portion of the 2025 season. Godwin has yet to return to game action after suffering a leg fracture last season. McMillan has been sidelined since August due to a neck injury. This past Sunday, Evans suffered a hamstring injury that’s expected to keep him out for multiple weeks.
Despite those injuries, though, the Buccaneers are one of six teams that are undefeated entering Week 4, thanks to Egbuka. As the rookie has 14 receptions for 181 yards and three touchdowns (tied for fourth) through the first three games, Mayfield pointed to Egbuka’s positional versatility to being key to the Buccaneers’ success as well.
“Even back in April, he was able to play all three receiver spots, which as a rookie to do in an offense like this is not an easy thing to do,” Mayfield said. “So, hat off to him. He’s a stud. He prepares the right way. He doesn’t act like a rookie. It’s impressive.”
To Mayfield’s point, Egbuka has split time lining up out wide and in the slot this season. He’s been lined up out wide for just over 100 (104) of his 174 snaps this season, playing 70 snaps in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus.
Arguably Egbuka’s most memorable plays in his young NFL career have come when he’s lined out wide. He ran a fade route along the sideline before making an impressive one-handed grab in traffic in the second quarter of the Buccaneers’ win over the Jets in Week 3.
When the Buccaneers were driving down the field in the final minutes of that game, it appeared Egbuka made another impressive sideline grab when he dove for a ball before falling out of bounds. However, Mayfield’s pass to Egbuka on that play was ruled incomplete, and there wasn’t a review to change the call.
Luckily for the Buccaneers, the ruling didn’t matter as they kicked the game-winning field goal a few plays later. But days after the win, Mayfield stood up for his rookie and thought the officiating crew got the call wrong.
“Emeka did catch that second ball on the sideline. It’s a catch,” Mayfield said. “Even the head ref on the field said that it was a catch, but I guess New York has to call in to change it. But they were showing an angle on the stadium [screen] స్పష్టంగా న్యూయార్క్ లేదు. కనుక ఇది ఎలా పనిచేస్తుందో నాకు తెలియదు, కాని మా స్టేడియంలో కెమెరా కోణం ఉంటే, ఎన్ఎఫ్ఎల్ రీప్లే సహాయాన్ని చేస్తున్న వ్యక్తులు కూడా ఆ కోణాన్ని కలిగి ఉండాలి. అది నాకు మాత్రమే.
“కానీ అవును, మరోసారి, ఆ పిల్లవాడు ఒక స్టడ్. అతను దానిని క్లిష్టమైన క్షణంలో పట్టుకున్నాడు.”
మేఫీల్డ్ తన రూకీ రిసీవర్ కోసం మాట్లాడటం ద్వారా కొంతమంది అనుభవజ్ఞులైన నాయకత్వాన్ని చూపించినట్లుగా, ఎగ్బుకా తెరవెనుక కూడా అదే చేస్తున్నాడని తేలింది.
“అతను వాస్తవానికి ఇతర కుర్రాళ్లకు సహాయం చేస్తున్నాడు, ఇది చాలా ఆకట్టుకుంటుంది, ముఖ్యంగా క్రిస్ ముగిసినప్పటి నుండి మరియు ముగిసినప్పటి నుండి” అని మేఫీల్డ్ చెప్పారు. “క్రిస్ గాడ్విన్ సాధారణంగా ప్రతి ఒక్కరినీ ఒకే పేజీలో పొందడంలో సహాయపడే వ్యక్తి. కానీ అతనిని కలిగి ఉండటం చాలా అద్భుతంగా ఉంది.”
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