Bucs WR Emeka Egbuka is an Overlooked Dark Horse Candidate for OROY

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprised much of the football world when they selected Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka at No. 19 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan already on the roster.

This crowded Bucs WR room has Egbuka flying under the radar as an Offensive Rookie of the Year (OROY) candidate in 2025.

Emeka Egbuka is Flying Under the Radar as an Offensive Rookie of the Year Contender Entering 2025

Considering the Bucs entered the 2025 NFL Draft with a handful of needs on the defensive side of the ball, it was definitely a bit interesting to see the team select a wide receiver in round one.

Yet, Emeka Egbuka’s versatility could actually be the missing piece for a Bucs’ offense that had some depth issues last year when both Evans and Godwin dealt with injuries in the middle of the season.

Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson has painted an encouraging picture of Egbuka after the Ohio State product has been praised throughout this offseason.

Parson wrote, “Emeka Egbuka is trending toward becoming a game-changer for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After shockingly being selected in the first round, Egbuka has hit the ground running during offseason workouts. The Buccaneers have worked to get him up to speed quickly, considering star wide receiver Chris Godwin is still recovering from a season-ending ankle injury. If this continues into and throughout training camp, Egbuka will be in for a big role.”

Godwin’s injury is one of the reasons Egbuka shouldn’t be overlooked as an OROY candidate entering his first year in the NFL. If the veteran WR isn’t ready for the start of the season, the Ohio State product could be walking into a high-volume role in an offense that threw for 4,500 yards 41 touchdowns last season, which could give Egbuka the type of ceiling to make a bid for OROY.

Parson added, “The praise of his work ethic, high football character and immense talent is a great thing for Buccaneers fans. His time at Ohio State put emphasis on being versatile and learning to share targets with some elite receivers. Egbuka’s team-first mentality will fit in well with this talented receiver room.”

Egbuka proved throughout his collegiate career that he can be a productive player alongside other star receivers at Ohio State. Stepping into a WR room with other productive receivers clearly hasn’t effected how he approaches the game so far throughout his short time with the team this spring.

Is the Crowded Bucs WR Room Going to Limit Egbuka’s Impact in 2025?

On the flip side, the reason why Egbuka isn’t getting much buzz for OROY entering the 2025 NFL season is because he is playing alongside Evans, Godwin, Jalen McMillan, Cade Otton, Bucky Irving, and Rachaad White — who are all quality pass-catching options in a high-powered offense.

Parson concluded, “If the Buccaneers ease Godwin back into action, Egbuka will see plenty of playing time opposite Evans. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield praised Egbuka’s football IQ and said the team could “plug and play” him in any receiver position.”