Before players even weigh-in and run their 40s, there are Pittsburgh Steelers draft rumors flying around at the NFL Combine. Though no team will turn in their cards for nearly two months, there’s already a consensus on who Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan will select 21st overall: Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka.
Appearing on 93.7 The Fan Tuesday evening, KDKA’s Richie Walsh hears Egbuka connected to Pittsburgh the way then-Alabama RB Najee Harris was linked to the Steelers ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft.
“I talked to [CBS Sports’ analyst] Ryan Wilson at length today and it seems like the scuttlebutt who they think the Steelers are gonna draft is Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State,” Walsh told The Fan’s Andrew Fillipponi and Chris Mueller. “It seems like everyone’s on that train right now. They compared it to Najee Harris. Everyone had the Steelers taking Najee Harris. It seems like it’s the same thing.”
Egbuka is among the most popular names mocked to the receiver-needy Steelers, including in Mel Kiper Jr.’s most recent edition. Along with Texas’ Matthew Golden, Egbuka could be an immediate impact player for a roster searching for playmakers. Ohio State’s all-time leading receptions king, is considered a top-three receiver in a down class.
In our Egbuka scouting report, Josh Carney highlighted his impressive route-running and team-first attitude. But there are questions over a potential lack of long speed and medical concerns for a smaller-body wideout. Ultimately, we concluded:
“He’s not a guy who will demand the football, isn’t going to pout when asked to block, and brings a great team-first attitude to the field every time out. He’s shown he can be a terrific No. 2 option behind stars and will do the dirty work. That will have teams salivating over him.
Though he doesn’t have any elite traits, he does everything really well and that matters. He’s a dependable piece who can play in all situations, will produce time and time again, and will be highly regarded within the locker room and his position group.”
The need for a receiver could be lessened by adding a veteran in free agency. In fact, Walsh believes the pick won’t be Egbuka but potentially a defensive lineman in a strong and deep class of candidates.
What happens in free agency coupled with the Steelers’ most frequent Pro Day stops will dictate how likely they are to use a priority pick on wide receiver. If there’s still a glaring need going into April’s draft, as there’s been since March of 2024, Egbuka will be on everyone’s short list to make the trek from Columbus to Pittsburgh.
