Cowboys 2025 draft scouting report: WR Emeka Egbuka

We proceed our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that would curiosity the Dallas Cowboys. Right this moment we’re broad receiver Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State.

Emeka Egbuka

WROhio State BuckeyesSenior5-star recruit 6’1”205 lbs

Picture by Steve Limentani/ISI Images/Getty Photos

Historical past

Emeka Egbuka was born on October 14, 2002, in Tacoma, Washington, and grew up in DuPont attending Steilacoom Excessive Faculty in Steilacoom. Egbuka’s Nigerian heritage comes from his father, Henry Egbuka, who immigrated to america from Nigeria when he was 20 years previous. At Steilacoom Excessive Faculty, Egbuka established himself as one of many nation’s prime soccer prospects. Over his highschool profession, Egbuka totaled 199 receptions for almost 4,000 yards and 61 touchdowns. He was a two-sport athlete, excelling in baseball as a middle fielder, an expertise he credit with sharpening his capability to trace and catch passes. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington moved its 2020 soccer season to spring 2021, however Egbuka opted to forgo his senior yr to enroll early at Ohio State.

Rated a consensus five-star recruit by main scouting providers like 247Sports, Egbuka was the primary broad receiver and quantity 9 total participant within the 2021 recruiting class. He dedicated to Ohio State in 2021 and made an instantaneous affect as a freshman, totally on particular groups. He returned 20 kickoffs for 580 yards, averaging 29 yards per return, main the Massive Ten and rating twelfth nationally. His receiving stats had been modest that yr, with 9 catches for 191 yards, together with an 85-yard reception in opposition to Akron, the third-longest go play in class historical past.

His breakout season got here as a sophomore in 2022, stepping right into a beginning position alongside Marvin Harrison Jr. after Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s injury-limited yr. Egbuka caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 15.6 yards per reception, and added 87 speeding yards with two scores. His 1,151 receiving yards rank sixth in a single season in Ohio State historical past, narrowly forward of Cris Carter’s 1,127 in 1986.

In 2023, Egbuka’s junior yr was hampered by an ankle harm sustained in opposition to Maryland. After present process a medical process, he missed three video games and returned at lower than full energy, ending with 41 catches for 515 yards and 4 touchdowns. Regardless of the setback, he was named third-team All-Massive Ten.

As a senior, Egbuka reestablished himself as a key chief in a revamped Buckeye offense. He had 81 receptions for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns within the 2024 season. On January 20, 2025, within the nationwide championship recreation in opposition to Notre Dame, he broke Ok.J. Hill’s college document of 201 profession receptions together with his 202nd catch. His profession totals stood at 205 receptions, 2,868 yards, and 24 touchdowns, putting him second in program historical past in receiving yards behind Michael Jenkins (2,898).

2024 Statistics

600 Offensive Snaps88 Targets81 Receptions 1,011 Receiving Yards10 TDs389 YAC6 Missed Tackles117.8 Passer RTG When Focused 0 Penalties

NFL Mix/Professional Day

TBC

Awards

Third-Workforce All-Massive Ten (2024)Third-Workforce All-Massive Ten (2023)Second-Workforce All-Massive Ten (2022)

Scorecard

General- 87.4Speed- 79Acceleration- 82Agility- 85Strength- 69Catching- 80Route Operating- 91YAC- 77Blocking- 48Discipline- 97

THE GOOD

His capability to blow up out of breaks and manipulate defenders is elite.
Egbuka’s standout trait is his distinctive route-running capability. He combines fast footwork, exact actions, and a complicated understanding of leverage to constantly create separation from defenders.
His capability to tempo his routes and exploit mushy spots in zone protection makes him a dependable goal.
He boasts robust palms when securing catches in visitors.
Exhibits toughness and resilience when absorbing contact whereas sustaining possession.
Primarily a slot receiver, he has expertise aligning outdoors and contributing as a kick and punt returner.
He’s been utilized in numerous roles, together with jet sweeps, screens, and whilst a blocker within the run recreation.
His excessive soccer intelligence permits him to regulate routes on the fly and make performs in clutch moments.
Has an instinctual capability to search out mushy spots in zone protection and current himself as a dependable goal. He’s a quarterback-friendly receiver who excels at getting open.

THE BAD

Egbuka’s velocity is strong however not elite, doubtlessly limiting his capability to constantly stretch defenses deep. This might cap his ceiling as a crew’s main receiver.
He’s not overly bodily, which might hinder him in opposition to press protection or on the surface.
Although usually reliable, Egbuka has proven occasional focus lapses resulting in drops, and his tendency to body-catch fairly than totally prolong may very well be refined.
His 2023 season was hampered by accidents, notably the ankle concern requiring surgical procedure.
Although keen to interact as a blocker, Egbuka’s method on this space is inconsistent and will use refinement, particularly in opposition to bodily cornerbacks or safeties.

THE FIT

Emeka Egbuka profiles as a flexible slot receiver greatest suited to a timing-based, pass-heavy NFL offense, like a West-Coast or Shanahan-style system. His route-running precision and reliability make him an excellent chain-mover with fast starter potential. Whereas he could not possess the elite bodily traits to dominate as a WR1, his dependability and flexibility make him a priceless piece for any offense. He’s projected as a mid-to-late first-round or early second-round choice due to his mixture of route operating refinement and flexibility. This makes him one of many most secure receiver prospects in his class. His is restricted, nevertheless, by non-elite velocity and lack of blocking abilities.

The Dallas Cowboys’ passing assault closely depends on the mix of Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb. Nevertheless, the depth at broad receiver is a obtrusive weak spot and in 2024, outdoors of Lamb, the crew struggled to get constant manufacturing, and when Lamb was shutdown towards the again finish of the season that depth proved there have been few contingency choices past quantity 88. He would greater than doubtless begin within the slot for Dallas, forming a potent duo with Lamb, who can flex between the slot and out of doors roles. His presence would drive defenses to choose their poison, stopping them from doubling Lamb as typically. Paired with a wholesome Jake Ferguson at tight finish and potential operating recreation enhancements, Egbuka might elevate the Cowboys’ offense to a extra balanced and harmful unit

He’s broadly praised for his technical polish as a route runner, utilizing refined tempo modifications, sharp cuts, and physique management to control defenders and get open. With Brandin Cooks doubtless departing and query marks round Jalen Tolbert, drafting Egbuka, who is commonly in comparison with slot receivers like Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jaxon Smith-Njigba, ensures he might step in as a day-one contributor, addressing a important roster gap.

COMPARISON

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

BTB GRADE

twenty fourth

CONSENSUS RANKING

twenty fourth(Consensus rating primarily based on the typical rating from 90 main scoring providers, together with BTB)