Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka had fans in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, but an injury-riddled 2023 campaign delayed his ascent. Now, in the 2025 NFL Draft cycle, where does he rank with his scouting report? Can he be a WR1 contender?
Emeka Egbuka’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 205 pounds
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: Ohio State
- Current Year: Senior
Egbuka joined the Buckeyes in the same recruiting class as 2024 fourth overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr.
In fact, Egbuka was the higher-rated recruit coming out of high school.
A five-star recruit out of Steilacoom, Wash., Egbuka drew comparisons to past early-round picks. And as soon as he reached eligibility, it seemed as though he was following that same trajectory.
Alongside Harrison in 2022, Egbuka racked up 74 catches for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns while also adding 87 yards and two scores on 11 carries. As both a RAC weapon and a surgical independent separator, Egbuka showcased extremely enticing potential.
That potential was still prevalent in 2023, but new uncertainties came to light. Egbuka struggled to stay healthy throughout the season and ended up needing surgery for an ankle injury. Through it all, he managed only 41 catches for 515 yards and four scores.
Ultimately, Egbuka chose to return to school for his senior season in order to right the ship after a down year.
He might not be the level of WR prospect that Harrison was, but Egbuka can assuredly be one of the best in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Egbuka’s Scouting Report
Strengths
- Uniquely built WR with a lean, compact, yet long-limbed frame and solid density.
- Explosive long-strider who can use urgent yet expansive strides to surge downfield.
- Brings instant acceleration out of stems, which he can use to easily stack displaced DBs.
- Has the flexibility to maintain stride lengths while bending and accelerating into space.
- With high-end change of direction, can freely swivel and stack lateral transitions.
- Master zone navigator with anticipatory feel for spacing, hip sink, and throttle freedom.
- Combined burst, flexibility, deception, snap, and IQ yield elite separation potential.
- Will use controlled leans to dictate DB angles upfield and exploit overaggression.
- Already has a vast route tree and is often intentional with head fakes and manipulation.
- Has shown he can make high-difficulty catch-point adjustments with quick reactions.
- Fairly consistent hands-catcher who flashes an understanding of timing and technique.
- Can use swipes and arm-bars to scrape through contact over the middle of the field.
- Dynamic run-after-catch weapon with explosiveness, speed, and alignment versatility.
- Has the grating play strength to pry through solo tackles and churn upfield.
- Competent run blocker whose size, burst, and versatility serves him well.
Weaknesses
- Long speed falls a tick short of the breakaway mark when attacking seams.
- Occasionally lets the ball get inside his frame when securing passes over the middle.
- Plant-and-drive footwork can be more efficient on routes breaking back toward the ball.
- Can improve at properly channeling his agility and quickness on releases versus press.
- Can be prone to focus drops when adjusting for RAC passes thrown slightly behind.
- Will use improper hand technique on contested catches, scooping instead of snaring.
- On occasion, can improve hand precision to avoid letting passes graze by.
- Lacks the elite composure and focus to convert amidst heavy contact consistently.
- Doesn’t quite have the sheer mass to bowl through sequential tacklers with leg churn.
- Is more equipped to obstruct as a blocker than serve as a primary displacing force.
- Struggled to stay healthy in 2023, suffering from an ankle injury that required surgery.
- Will turn 23 years old in October of his rookie season.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Entering the 2025 NFL Draft cycle, Egbuka grades out as a late-first-round prospect who could enter the mix for WR1 with a bounce-back year.
Egbuka was a highly-rated 2024 NFL Draft prospect before injuries slowed his advance, but he offers the same appeal in 2025.
Egbuka is one of the most exciting utility WRs to hit the circuit in recent years. And when you run Egbuka’s profile through the three-level threat framework, his physical tools and his projected versatility begin to shine.
As an athlete, Egbuka is extremely explosive, fluid, and flexible, with more than enough vertical speed. He can sear and slice his way through zone coverage looks but also has the intentional movement, snappy suddenness, and spatial awareness to win against man coverage.
Though he isn’t quite as consistent at the catch point, Egbuka has flashed the skills of a fairly instinctive converter with good reaction speed and body control, and he also has an ideal RAC profile with his lean 205-pound frame, explosiveness, and agility.
Overall, Egbuka has the feel of a solid three-level threat WR with exciting alignment and usage versatility. Coaches can scheme him touches on jet sweeps, swings, drags, screens, and other short routes. But he also has the full route tree and complete skill set to be employed in countless other ways.
With his high-end tools and his ability to blend into many different roles, Egbuka is no doubt a Round 1 prospect. How far he rises depends on whether he can stay healthy in 2024, and whether or not he can reach the next tier of consistency as a catcher.