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.
“He’s just really, really smart and instinctive and tough,” Jeremiah said. “He’d be a great fit for somebody that wants plug and play for a team that’s ready to win right now.”
The Steelers, of course, are trying to fit that fold as they chase an elusive playoff victory. The lack of depth at wide receiver, beyond Pickens, helped bog down the offense last year when the Steelers failed to exceed 17 points in their final five games — all losses.
Heading into free agency, the Steelers have just three receivers from last year’s 53-man roster under contract — Pickens, Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson, the 2024 third-round pick who missed the season with injury.
“Based on the way the season ended last year, the reality is we’ve got to get more playmakers,” general manager Omar Khan said at the combine. “We all realize that. The process starts now.”
With Harrison off to the NFL last spring, Egbuka became a go-to weapon for quarterback Will Howard. He caught 81 passes for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns, marking the second time in three seasons that he exceeded 1,000 yards and reached double digits in touchdowns.
In the inaugural 12-team college football playoff, Egbuka totaled 21 catches for 268 yards and a touchdown. He also left as Ohio State’s record holder with 205 career receptions, breaking K.J. Hill’s mark of 201. He is quick to give credit to his receivers coach, former NFL pass catcher Brian Hartline, for playing a role in his success.
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“We’re perfectionists to the Nth degree,” he said. “Every time I watch film, I never tell myself ‘Good job’ in my head. I’m always critiquing myself whether it’s run blocking, route running, my splits before the play — it’s all game for me. It’s all an art, and I love the art of being a receiver.”
It’s his well-rounded nature that caught the eye of Jeremiah during his pre-draft film analysis.
“I’ve kind of become obsessed with receivers with the thought and keeping an eye out for guys who are grounded through the catch, guys who really trust their hands and run through the ball,” he said. “You just see the really great receivers in the NFL have that trait, that quality, that confidence in their hands and allows them to do so much after the catch as well.”
Growing up in Washington, Egbuka was a fan of the Seattle Seahawks and quarterback Russell Wilson.
“He’s my guy,” Egbuka said.
If the Steelers re-sign the 36-year-old quarterback and then use their top draft pick on the latest Ohio State standout receiver, Wilson could be Egbuka’s guy again.