Steelers show interest in Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka, the anti-diva wide receiver in his class
From Antonio Brown to Diontae Johnson to Chase Claypool to George Pickens, Mike Tomlin has coached his share of problematic wide receivers on the Pittsburgh Steelers over the past decade.
The first three played their way out of the organization via trade, and the jury remains out on whether Pickens will be around to finish his rookie contract.
The Steelers are expected to address the position in free agency and potentially add to it further in the NFL Draft. If Tomlin’s goal this season is to find the anti-diva in this year’s wide receiver class and improve the position’s image — on and off the field — he would be wise to look at Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka with the No. 21 overall pick. They conducted a formal interview with Egbuka at the NFL Combine.
Egbuka is regarded a first-round talent and — if you listen to him speak for a minute — a receiver with impeccable character and a deep-rooted connection with religion.
Consider why Egbuka decided to return to Ohio State for his senior season.
“The biggest attribute I was looking to refine my senior season was my faith in God,” he told reporters Friday at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. “That comes first and foremost before anything on the field. That was the leading factor in deciding to return for my senior year to Ohio State. I spent a lot of time in prayer. I felt like he was leading me back to Ohio State for something bigger than football.”
It wasn’t to win a national championship, which the Buckeyes did. It wasn’t to finish as the school’s all-time receptions leader, which Egbuka also accomplished. It wasn’t for an increased NIL payment, either.
“Obviously, we were able to win a national championship, which was amazing and a dream come true for me and something I’ll never forget,” said Egbuka, whose Instagram handle is Christ Follower. “But as players, we had amazing moments where we were able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and secure our faith in Him. We had experienced a bit of a revival on campus. There were people getting baptized left and right. We were able to share our testimonies, and it was a beautiful thing to be a part of.”
Egbuka, 22, spent four years on campus developing into what could be the next in a long line of Ohio State standout receivers. When he arrived in Columbus from Steilacoom, Wash., he encountered a position room that included Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jameson Williams, Marvin Harrison and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. All became first-round picks.
“That was one of the reasons I decided to go to Ohio State,” Egbuka said. “I didn’t want to go to a place where I wasn’t going to be challenged by my peers. I wanted to go somewhere I could grow at an exponential rate because they were growing as well.”
With a 6-foot-1, 202-pound frame, Egbuka is rated among the top five receivers on NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah’s draft board.
