The Cleveland Browns have used 40 starting quarterbacks since their relaunch in 1999, including five whose last names begin with the letter “M.” One of those five, Baker Mayfield, was moved out of Cleveland in 2022 to make way for Deshaun Watson. For Mayfield, things are getting better and better.
Mayfield, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, last season completed 71% of his passes for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. He is stoked for the 2025 season, in part because former Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka has been added to his vast array of talented targets.
It’s like this: When six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans had the day off May 24, Egbuka stepped in with the starters and had Mayfield gushing after practice.
“On a day like today, where Mike was not practicing, you could put Emeka anywhere and that really is the truth,” Mayfield told reporters. “It is fun to have a guy like that who is that intelligent and does not act like a rookie, his head is not spinning, and who is able to do it and handle it the right way, and it raises the standard for everyone else.”
Mayfield was equally effusive in his praise when he joined Travis and Jason Kelce on their “New Heights” podcast. Mayfield said Egbuka can play all three receiver positions and called him “the real deal.”
“Ok, you know how you just can’t teach guys leaving the ground to catch the ball?” Mayfield said. “It’s always grounded when [Egbuka] catches it. He keeps moving. There’s YAC potential out the wazoo there. But he’s just so damn smart. And he’s willing to block, willing to do everything we ask him to do. But then, I mean, we can plug-and-play him at any of the three receiver spots right now. It’s pretty exciting.”
In his last college season with the Buckeyes, Egbuka caught 81 passes for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Buccaneers made him the No. 19 overall selection in the first round of the NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield praises rookie Emeka Egbuka of Ohio State
Reporting by Staff reports / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
