Could the Indianapolis Colts draft Emeka Egbuka? Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson has had a disappointing career so far. For him to avoid the ‘bust’ label, Mike Luciano of Horseshoe Heroes believes the team should target Egbuka in the 2025 NFL Draft:
“Some fans might groan about the idea of picking a wide receiver in the first round due to the depth at this position, but there is no such thing in the modern NFL as having too many good pass-catchers. Even compared to Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr., Egbuka may have the highest ceiling of anyone. Egbuka is a smooth operator out wide, one of the best route-runners in this class, and elite when it comes to winning 50-50 balls. All of those traits should pair well with a quarterback like Richardson, who still hasn’t been able to nail down the finer points of intermediate accuracy just yet.”
The Colts own the 14th overall pick in the draft. There are plenty of talented prospects to choose from. Who knows who they’ll pick?
Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka Listed as a Draft Target for the Indianapolis Colts
Egbuka’s Career
Emeka Egbuka spent four seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes. As a freshman, he caught nine passes for 191 yards while returning 20 kickoffs for 580 yards. He recorded 74 receptions, 1,151 yards, and 10 touchdowns the following year. He also rushed for 87 yards and a pair of touchdowns that year.
Egbuka had an injury-plagued junior season. He caught 41 passes for 515 yards and four touchdowns as teammate Marvin Harrison Jr. won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top wide receiver.
Last season, Egbuka caught a career-high 81 passes to go along with 1,011 yards and 10 touchdowns. He teamed with quarterback Will Howard and Co. to lead Ohio State to a national championship. He caught six passes for 64 yards in the championship game as the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 34-23.
Egbuka leaves Ohio State as the school’s all-time leader in catches and receiving yards. That’s impressive, knowing that great receivers like Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, and Santonio Holmes have played there in the past.
Does He Make Sense for Indianapolis?
Egbuka is undoubtedly one of the top wide receiver prospects in the draft. He could turn out to be an NFL superstar. However, another wide receiver is one of the last things the Colts need.
Indy already has a solid receiving corps. The group is led by Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce. Each of those players had over 800 receiving yards last season. Adonai Mitchell is coming off a not-so-great rookie year. Yet, the 2024 second-round pick could still develop into an outstanding receiver.
Again, a wide receiver isn’t a big need for the Colts. If the team wants to help Richardson improve, they should draft a tight end in the first round. Tyler Warren likely won’t be around at No. 14. If that’s the case, Indianapolis should target fellow tight end Colston Loveland. The Michigan Wolverines star is expected to be available.
Richardson has struggled mightily as a passer. He completed only 47.7 percent of his passes last season. Having an offensive weapon like Loveland could surely help Richardson in the short passing game. Sorry Emeka Egbuka fans, he’s not going to Indianapolis this year.
Main Photo: Adam Cairns – Imagn Images
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