The Tampa Bay Buccaneers surprised many when they spent their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, but just a year later, it looks like a pretty smart move.
Egbuka made a huge impact right away as a rookie before a hamstring injury slowed his production down the stretch, but heading into his second season, the Ohio State alum is primed for big things.
One person with high expectations of Egbuka in 2026? Zac Robinson, the Bucs' new offensive coordinator.
Robinson spent the previous two seasons in the same role for the division-rival Atlanta Falcons, but before that, he spent five seasons in various roles on Sean McVay's offensive staff with the Los Angeles Rams. During that time, Robinson had a front-row seat to the prime of Cooper Kupp's career, including his incredible 2021 campaign that helped lift the Rams to a Super Bowl win.
Now in Tampa, Robinson sees a similar skill set in Egbuka:
An underrated prospect coming out of Eastern Washington as a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Kupp quickly developed into one of the most consistently productive receivers in the game thanks to a well-rounded skill set, impressive mental prowess, and the versatility to line up at multiple spots across the field.
Egbuka was a much more highly touted player coming out of the wide receiver factory that is Ohio State, but the top-20 pick beats defenses in similar ways, making up for his lack of elite speed with route-running savvy, reliable hands, alignment versatility, and the ability to quickly and effectively process what opposing defenses are trying to throw at him.
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After a strong start last season, Egbuka was an early front-runner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, but injuries across Tampa Bay's entire offense contributed to his production slowing down the stretch, leaving him just shy of 1,000 receiving yards. Not only should the offense be healthier this season, but it should also benefit from Robinson's play-calling experience after last year's struggles under first-time offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard.
The Bucs will also be without Mike Evans for the first time in more than a decade, as the future Hall of Famer moved on this offseason to sign with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. Evans' departure should open up even more opportunities to get the ball in Egbuka's hands this season and beyond.
Robinson knows what it looks like when a receiver with this kind of skill set is matched with high-level schematic planning and play-calling. Don't be surprised if Egbuka establishes himself as one of the most prolific pass-catchers in the game this season in Robinson's offense.
