2025 Rookie Profile: Emeka Egbuka

2025 Rookie Profile: Emeka Egbuka (WR) Ohio State

Welcome to the 2025 fantasy football season. FullTime Fantasy‘s annual rookie reports next present 2025 Rookie Profile: Emeka Egbuka looks at our No. 2 wideout in the 2025 NFL Draft class.

Emeka Egbuka, a standout wide receiver from Ohio State, enters the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the most polished and dependable prospects in his class. Ohio State has earned the moniker “Wide Receiver U” by consistently producing elite NFL talent, including Marvin Harrison Jr. (2024 No. 4 overall pick), Garrett Wilson (2022 No. 10 overall), Chris Olave (2022 No. 11 overall), and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2023 No. 20 overall).

Egbuka follows in their footsteps, bringing a technically refined skill set, high football IQ, and a track record of production in big moments. While he may lack the elite physical traits of some peers, his savvy route running, reliable hands, and versatility make him a high-floor prospect poised to contribute early in his NFL career.

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High School: Steilacoom High School (DuPont, WA), consensus five-star recruit, No. 1 WR and No. 9 overall player in 2021 class (247Sports). Named Washington Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior, amassing 199 receptions, 3,987 yards, and 61 TDs over his prep career, including a record-setting 18-catch state championship game.

College: Ohio State (2021–2024), early enrollee, played alongside NFL-bound receivers like Harrison, Wilson, Olave, and Smith-Njigba. Became Ohio State’s all-time leader in career receptions (205). Helped lead Ohio State to the 2024 National Championship, with six receptions in the title game. Earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2022.

Other: Showed special-teams value as a freshman, leading the Big Ten in kickoff return average (29.0 yards per return). Team captain in 2024, demonstrating leadership and toughness.

College Stats

2021 (Freshman): 11 games, 9 receptions, 191 yards (21.2 YPC), 0 TDs; 20 kickoff returns for 580 yards (29.0 avg.).

2022 (Sophomore): 13 games, 74 receptions, 1,151 yards (15.6 YPC), 10 TDs; 11 carries, 87 yards, 2 TDs.

2023 (Junior): 10 games (missed three due to ankle injury requiring tightrope surgery), 41 receptions, 515 yards (12.6 YPC), 4 TDs.

2024 (Senior): 81 receptions, 1,011 yards (12.5 YPC), 10 TDs; broke Ohio State’s career receptions record (205).

Career Totals: 50 games (38 starts), 205 receptions, 2,868 yards (14.0 YPC), 24 TDs; 23 carries, 150 yards, 2 TDs; 40 returns (22 kick, 18 punt), 725 yards.

Notable: Against ranked opponents (8 games), totaled 51 receptions for 610 yards. Two 1,000-yard seasons, joining Marvin Harrison Jr. as the only Buckeyes to achieve this feat.

Measurables

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 202 lbs

Arm Length: 31.5”

Hand Size: 9.625”

40-Yard Dash: 4.48 seconds

Vertical Jump: 38”

Short Shuttle: 4.12 seconds

Relative Athletic Score (RAS): 9.27 (reflecting strong explosion and short-area quickness)

Notes: Egbuka’s athletic profile is good but not elite, with above-average acceleration, fluidity, and change-of-direction ability. His 4.30 40-yard dash reported at Ohio State’s Junior Day (unverified) suggests potential for better speed than his combine time indicates.

Scouting Report

Strengths

Elite Route Running: Egbuka is a technician, using nuanced tempo changes, head fakes, and precise footwork to create separation against man and zone coverage. His ability to manipulate defenders’ leverage and settle into soft spots makes him a quarterback’s best friend.

Reliable Hands: Boasts a 90% catch rate as a freshman and a 54.3% contested-catch rate per PFF. Excels at plucking the ball away from his frame and tracking deep balls, with strong concentration through contact.

Versatility: Primarily a slot receiver (80% of snaps in 2024), but also effective as a Z receiver and occasionally out of the backfield. Comfortable running a varied route tree, including slants, overs, corners, and double moves.

Football IQ: Displays anticipatory feel for spacing and timing, often working back to scrambling quarterbacks. His awareness shines in zone coverage, where he consistently finds open windows.

Special Teams Value: Proven kickoff returner with smooth cuts and vision, averaging nearly 30 yards per return as a freshman. Adaptable to the NFL’s dynamic kickoff rules.

Weaknesses

Limited Elite Traits: Lacks top-end speed or strength to be a dominant vertical threat or contested-catch winner. His 4.48 40 time and modest wingspan (76.625”) limit his catch radius against long-limbed NFL corners.

Slot-Dependent: Over 70% of his snaps came from the slot, and his snap share out wide decreased each season. May struggle with boundary techniques and physical press coverage early in his career.

Injury History: Missed three games in 2023 due to an ankle injury requiring tightrope surgery. While he appeared fully healthy in 2024, his gritty playing style may invite durability concerns.

NFL Fits

Egbuka’s skill set is tailor-made for timing-based, West Coast-style offenses that prioritize precision route running, spatial awareness, and chain-moving reliability. He projects as a high-floor No. 2 receiver or primary slot option who can contribute immediately in the right system. Ideal landing spots include:

Carolina Panthers: This is about as high as a wide receiver is expected to go in the 2025 NFL Draft. It also happens to be a need for the Panthers, who have aging Adam Thielen and a young, unproven corps of pass-catchers.

Green Bay Packers: Matt LaFleur’s Shanahan-inspired offense would maximize Egbuka’s sharp cuts and reliability, pairing him with young receivers like Christian Watson (who is expected to miss half the year) and Jayden Reed.

Houston Texans: Reuniting with C.J. Stroud in a pass-heavy offense needing depth (post-Stefon Diggs and with Tank Dell’s injury concerns) would be ideal. Egbuka could rotate as a Z or slot receiver alongside Nico Collins.

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings already have a solid pair of starting wideouts, but get by with an unassuming WR3. Moving Egbuka full-time into the slot would give Minnesota one of the best receiving corps in the league.

NFL Comparison

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks). Like his former Ohio State teammate, Egbuka is a polished slot receiver with exceptional route-running savvy, reliable hands, and a knack for finding open spaces. Both lack elite athleticism but excel in timing-based offenses due to their football IQ and technical prowess. Egbuka is slightly taller and faster, with more special-teams experience, but shares Smith-Njigba’s high floor as a dependable chain mover. Some also compare Egbuka to Amon-Ra St. Brown for his toughness and slot production, though St. Brown’s NFL development sets a higher ceiling.

Draft Projection

Egbuka is a projected late-first to early-second-round pick (Rounds 1–2, picks 20–40). His high floor, versatility, and Ohio State pedigree make him a safe bet for teams seeking a plug-and-play slot receiver. If he lands in an optimal system, he could become a consistent 80+ catch producer early in his career.

Bottom Line

Emeka Egbuka may not dazzle with elite physical traits, but his technical mastery, reliability, and team-first mentality make him one of the safest bets in the 2025 NFL Draft. As Ohio State continues its legacy of churning out NFL-ready receivers, Egbuka’s blend of route-running finesse, clutch playmaking, and special teams upside positions him for a long, productive pro career—likely as a No. 2 or slot receiver who thrives in the right offensive scheme.

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