Emeka Egbuka, the former Ohio State star receiver, officially signed his initial NFL contract before the first time he took the field as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.
The 19th-overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, Egbuka became the fifth of six Buccaneer selections to ink their rookie deals, signing shortly before the first walk-through of the team's rookie minicamp on Friday morning. On Thursday, the team successfully completed deals with third-round cornerback Jacob Parrish, fourth-round outside linebacker David Walker, sixth-round defensive lineman Elijah Roberts and seventh-round wide receiver Tez Johnson.
Egbuka received the standard four-year contract with a fifth-year team option that is extended to all first-round draft picks. The only remaining unsigned player on the Buccaneers' roster is cornerback Benjamin Morrison, a second-round pick out of Notre Dame.
Egbuka was the third receiver selected in the 2025 draft and just the fourth ever taken by Tampa Bay in the first round. He finished his tenure at Ohio State as the school's all-time leader in receptions (205) and second-leading producer of receiving yards (2,868), averaging 14 yards per catch and scoring 24 touchdowns. Egbuka worked largely out of the slot for the Buckeyes but is expected to see action at all three receiver spots in the Bucs' passing attack. He joins a loaded Tampa Bay receiving corps that also includes Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and last year's breakout rookie, Jalen McMillan.
