The junior wide receiver declared his intention to play for Ohio State again in 2024. Before the 2023 season, Egbuka had generated a lot of draft talk, with some pundits projecting that he would be selected in the first round.
Egubka replaced Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the slot for the Buckeyes offense in 2022 and became a breakout player. He caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns, which enabled the Buckeyes to advance to the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs.
OSU was certain that Egubka and Marvin Harrison Jr. would break records in 2023 and help the team win a Big Ten championship again. However, Egbuka’s output decreased as he needed surgery for an ankle injury that occurred in early October. He would eventually return in November to wrap up the regular season after missing three games.
Egbuka hauled in 41 passes for 515 yards and four touchdowns by the end of the season. His two best performances occurred in the games against Michigan and Notre Dame, when he totaled 10 receptions for 121 yards and a score.
In the event that Harrison declares for the NFL draft, Egbuka is now anticipated to emerge as Ohio State’s top target for the 2024 campaign after serving as Harrison’s backup the previous two seasons. At Penn State, he will now be the most seasoned pass-catcher in the room with Julian Fleming.
With Egbuka back, the Buckeyes will have stability in the slot for Will Howard, the new quarterback who committed from Kansas State earlier this month. Entering spring practice, he is leading a very inexperienced wide receiver room that features incoming five-star freshman Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss.
Under Ryan Day, the Buckeyes, who were 11-2 in 2023, are going into win-now mode. The burden is on the Buckeyes coach to win the conference next season after losing to Michigan three times in a row, or he risked being demoted.