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Jenna LaineOct 5, 2025, 10:38 PM ET<\/p>\n
Close<\/a>Jenna Laine covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. She started covering the Bucs for ESPN in 2016, but she has covered the team since 2009. Jenna is a former cheerleader at the University of South Florida and speaks to the consistency of the program as being one of the top best in the nation.<\/p>\n Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a> wide receiver Emeka Egbuka<\/a> continued his dazzling rookie campaign Sunday, collecting 163 receiving yards, a touchdown and a 2-point conversion in a 38-35 victory over the Seahawks<\/a> in Seattle.<\/p>\n Egbuka, who grew up 40 minutes outside of Seattle, became the first player in NFL history with at least 25 receptions, 400 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns through his first five career games as Tampa Bay had its fourth come-from-behind victory in five games.<\/p>\n “He’s kind of 1-of-1,” quarterback Baker Mayfield<\/a> said of Egbuka. “He continues to amaze and compete and do the things that everybody has seen him do like he did in college.”<\/p>\n Added coach Todd Bowles: “He was outstanding.”<\/p>\n Editor’s Picks 1 Related<\/p>\n Perhaps even more impressive with Egbuka’s performance Sunday is that it came with him getting the lion’s share of attention from the opposing defense with star receiver Mike Evans<\/a> still out with a hamstring injury and star running back Bucky Irving<\/a> missing his first game with a foot sprain\/shoulder subluxation.<\/p>\n Egbuka nearly had a second touchdown, too, but his 57-yard reception was stopped at the 2-yard line (running back Rachaad White<\/a> ran it in two plays later).<\/p>\n Neither Mayfield nor Bowles said they have seen a rookie wide receiver with Egbuka’s ability, the 19th pick in this year’s draft after becoming Ohio State’s all-time receptions leader.<\/p>\n “It’s his mentality. It’s his physical makeup. It’s his willingness to work. It’s his intelligence. It’s his athleticism — he’s just one of those guys,” Bowles said. “He has the entire makeup and the entire package, and that’s hard to get, and that’s hard to see in a rookie.”<\/p>\n The stats back that up:<\/p>\n \u2022 Egbuka became one of four players in NFL history with at least 20 receptions, 300 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns through five career games (Ja’Marr Chase<\/a>, Roy Williams, Randy Moss).<\/p>\n \u2022 He’s the sixth player in the past 25 years with five or more receiving TDs in his first five career games (Martavis Bryant<\/a>, Calvin Ridley<\/a>, Chase, Terry McLaurin<\/a> and Williams).<\/p>\n \u2022 He now owns the franchise record for receptions (25), receiving yards (445) and receiving TDs (5) through a player’s first five career games with Tampa Bay.<\/p>\n \u2022 He’s the third rookie in Bucs history with 150 receiving yards in a game, joining Mark Carrier in 1987 (212) and Evans in 2014 (209).<\/p>\n \u2022 His 445 receiving yards through the first five weeks put him fourth overall in the NFL, and his five touchdowns are tied for second.<\/p>\n Mayfield believes what makes Egbuka so impressive isn’t just what he does on the field, but who he is off of it.<\/p>\n “He’s well-rounded and not just in football, in life,” Mayfield said. “I think he’s grounded, and I think he’s just genuine in everything he does. He’s intentional. You just don’t see that often, and especially as a rookie with the talent that he has, you really don’t see it often.”<\/p>\n When asked what he makes of his early NFL success, Egbuka added: “I don’t enter any seasons of my life with too many expectations when it comes to statistics or anything really. I’m just trying to honor and glorify God, be obedient to whatever He’s called me to. So, I feel like He has me in Tampa for a reason. And that purpose is bigger than football, I believe. So, just trying to use my platform to be able to impact people in any way I can and just give glory to Him when success comes my way and when it doesn’t, still praise Him all the more.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jenna LaineOct 5, 2025, 10:38 PM ET CloseJenna Laine covers the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for ESPN. 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