Ever play a round of "Pick to Click" with your buddies before your favorite team plays a game? It's basically a prediction competition – each of you chooses one player on your team that you think is poised to have the biggest game. After the game you compare notes and decide which of you made the best prediction.

That's what Staff Writer/Reporter Brianna Dix and I have decided to do during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2025 season, and we're going to turn it into a competition with a running score.

The rules are simple: Bri and I each pick one Buccaneers player on Friday and explain why we think they are poised for a big game. We can't duplicate picks so order may matter; Bri will pick first this week and then we'll rotate week by week. Since neither of us would be impartial enough to do the judging after the game, we've asked Team Reporter Casey Phillips to step in as the guest judge each week. (Presumably she will be impartial, though she did suggest she might be open to bribes.)

So Casey will judge who won each week and we'll keep score. In other words, this is going to get personal. You're going down, Bri.

So who's your pick to click for the Buccaneers against the Falcons?

Brianna Dix: Emeka Egbuka

Throughout the offseason, players and coaches alike have raved about first-round pick Emeka Egbuka. Not only has the Ohio State prodigy exceeded expectations with his route-running precision, but also for his understanding of the Buccaneers' offensive system. With Jalen McMillan going on injured reserve and Chris Godwin ruled out for Week One as he works back from the dislocated ankle injury that derailed his 2024 campaign, Egbuka will receive significant snaps on Sunday in the 2025 season opener.

He primarily worked out of the slot for the Buckeyes and finished his career with the most receptions (205) in Ohio State history and second in receiving yards. Egbuka was touted for his ability to con coverage with pacing and footwork in-and-out of breaks. He pairs elite ball tracking with a large catch radius and will help elevate the Bucs' offense in 2025.

Egbuka has the ability to line up at all three receiver spots to keep defenses off-balance and can help Josh Grizzard dive into his bag of tricks. As legendary Bucs' receiver Mike Evans pulls double coverage (safety over the top), opportunities will likely arise for Egbuka to take advantage of. The Falcons' pass defense finished 22nd in the NFL last season despite heralded names like Jessie Bates III and A.J. Terrell occupying their secondary and Egbuka will look to hold his own against NFL competition. He has a knack for finding voids in coverage and I anticipate a big day for No. 2 on Sunday.

Scott Smith: Yaya Diaby

Yaya mentioned earlier this week that he enjoys playing in Atlanta because he wants to show his hometown team that they shouldn't have passed him up in the draft. He should also be motivated by friends and family in the stands; he said he's on the hook for at least 20 tickets for Sunday's game.

Diaby was the Buccaneers' best edge rusher last season but he'll have competition for that title in 2025 with Haason Reddick in town. Diaby has already mentioned that the two are going to engage in a friendly battle to see who can lead the team in sacks. I say Diaby gets off to a quick start with at least one sack on Sunday in Atlanta and two or three other pressures. If he happens to throw a forced fumble in there, I think Casey will have to judge my pick as the winner.

As Bri herself just noted yesterday, Diaby led the Buccaneers last year with 57 pressures and generated 13 run stuffs (loss or no gain). Diaby was just one of eight edge rushers in the NFL to record 50-plus pressures and 10-plus run stuffs. Somehow, those 57 pressures turned into just 4.5 sacks, down from his fine rookie total of 7.5. Head Coach Todd Bowles has noted that there are some specific technique details that Diaby can work on to convert more of those pressures into sacks, and I'm expecting Diaby to challenge double-digits in the category this year.

Now throw in that the Falcons recently lost their talented right tackle, Kaleb McGary, to a season-ending injury and that their top reserve tackle, Storm Norton, is also sidelined by an ankle injury. Elijah Wilkinson is slated to start at right tackle; he most recently started nine games at left guard for the Falcons in 2023. If that transition proves at all rocky for Wilkinson, Diaby could have a leg up in one-on-one pass-rush situations. And let's not forget: Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is a lefty, which means Wilkinson will be protecting his blind side.