Insider Believes Steelers’ Love for Ohio State WR ‘Is Real’
Insider Tony Pauline believes the Pittsburgh Steelers' love for Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is real.
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded for star wide receiver DK Metcalf this offseason to pair with George Pickens. However, insider Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda doesn’t think that will rule them out from selecting a wide receiver in the first-round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
After meeting with Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka ahead of his pro day, Pauline believes the Steelers’ love for him “is real.”
“The Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers were two teams spoken about in Columbus who will look at receivers hard in the first round,” Pauline writes. “And despite their moves this offseason, so too will the Steelers, as Egbuka had dinner with head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan on Tuesday night.”
Egbuka has been heavily linked to the Steelers this offseason, especially before their blockbuster trade for Metcalf. But he had a formal interview with Pittsburgh’s brass at the NFL Scouting Combine and that interest seems to still be there about a month later.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound wide receiver is viewed as one of the best playmakers in this year’s draft after showcasing his reliable hands with just a 2.8 percent drop rate in 2024. He also recorded a career-high 81 catches for 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior on Ohio State’s national championship-winning team.
If the Steelers were to add Egbuka, their wide receiver room would be a bit crowded. However, that is a good problem to have after having one of the least talented rooms in the NFL last season. It would also give Pittsburgh the flexibility to move on from Pickens, if the team wants to.
Egbuka is the Buckeyes’ all-time leading receiver in the categories of receptions (205) and receiving yards (2,868). He accomplished those figures despite sharing the field with first-round picks Marvin Harrison Jr. (4th overall in 2024), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20th in 2023), Chris Olave (11th in 2022) and Garrett Wilson (10th in 2022).
Last season proved no different as Egbuka played alongside freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith, who figures to be highly sought after when he’s eligible to be drafted.