April 25, 2025 • 18 mins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide Receiver Emeka Egbuka spoke to the media during his introductory press conference after being selected 19th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. WR Egbuka discussed his love for football, how he models his game and how his family has impacted his life.
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
Oh, thanks for being here. We're super excited to have
make it here with his Henry, his dad, his mom, Ronda,
and Eric. It's just it's always a good day when
you picked your first round pick and the next day
you're introducing him and you feel you and Todd myself,
our staffs just feel so rock solid about the person
(00:31):
and the player. And there were there are a lot
of teams that wanted him, so I'm glad we didn't
try to get cute and move back and get other
picks because we wouldn't have ended up here today with you.
So it's also awesome as a GM to have a
head coach that's a defensive minded person that is running
up the hill with his name saying we've got to
(00:52):
draft this guy. So it made it a lot easier.
So without further ado, all introduce it. Man'll let you
talk to the media here.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yeah, excited to be here, excited to meet all you guys,
and I'm honestly ready to get started.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Might the head coach when you watch film and that
the jumps out at you a total package. He's a playmaker.
He can play all three positions. He plays in the slides,
he plays the Z he plays the X. He can
run with the ball, he can throw the ball, he
can catch the ball. He's a very good route runner.
He's a winner. He makes contested catches. He's a very
(01:28):
precise route runner as well, a lot of speed at
the same time he blocks at the same time. He
checks all the boxes as a player and as a person.
And that made it an easy choice.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
What of these last twenty.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Four hours been like for you? Which I'll go over.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Really well, they got me right at the airport, but no,
it's been it's been a little bit of a whirlwind.
Got the call it was I was on Pacific Standard time,
so I got the call around you know, seven fifteen PM.
Was able to celebrate with my friends and family in
all nine million people who were celebrating with me at
my draft party, and you know, the the night didn't
(02:07):
really stop. We were all really excited, and then got
up early this morning to catch a flight and now I'm.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Here, I be CoA use such a well rounded wide receiver.
Speaker 6 (02:15):
What is your strength as you see it.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
In your game right now?
Speaker 7 (02:18):
And then what's that that one thing that you want
to work on to get better at the next level.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I believe one strength that I've always had that I've
took a lot of pride in was just ball tracking
and catching the ball. I think that, you know, there's
never been a ball in the air that I felt
like was a difficult catcher that you know, I couldn't track.
You know, I have an extensive baseball background, so I
think that's helped me out a lot, you know, playing
center field and stuff like that. So I think ball
(02:45):
in the air, I feel very comfortable with it at
all angles. So I think that's something I've always been
really good at. And then as far as improving myself
at the next level, I think that I'm a very
good and willing blocker. I think sometimes I have a
tendency to either hop or cross over or get over
excited about getting the block. So just having a better
base and continue to work and strain in that area.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
You've ben compared to guys like Alon Ross, Saint Brown,
and Chris Gotland. Of course, what about your game do
you feel comparison to those those players And how excited
you to be able to learn from Chris Godwin and
once you get the planally meet him.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, I mean I think when you think about those players, uh,
They're kind of the type of guys who are always open, great,
great route running, high football IQ, very accountable. So you know,
I welcome those comparisons. I feel like all three of
the people you just named are very are very very
good football players. And especially just being able to learn
(03:42):
from Chris. I know a lot of people have made
comparisons with me and him and now me being here
in Tampa. Just the kind of character he has from
what I hear, high i Q high work ethic. That's
how I strive to be in the NFL. I strive
to have a career like he's had, So I think
being able to learn underneath him and uh, you know,
I'm just excited to be able to establish that relationship Mecca.
Speaker 7 (04:03):
There's been several wide receivers from Ohio State over the
past couple of years that have thrived in.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
The NFL, so it has it feel to be the
next player to kind of carry on that lineage.
Speaker 8 (04:11):
Yeah, it's amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
We have a certain standard at Ohio State, especially in
the wide receiver room, that we're going to continue to
uphold year and then year out. So you know, it
just felt kind of like my duty and my obligation
to be able to do what I did throughout my career,
and the standard is the same for all the younger guys,
and they know what it is, so I wouldn't be
surprised if you see a couple of breakout years, a
couple of guys do some amazing things. Obviously, we have
(04:35):
a young cat who is doing it at a very
high level right now, but we also have some other
guys who I think are gonna, you know, uh wow,
some people in the upcoming years.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
We heard from.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Jason on this last night, but Coach Port, what was
it about how when you had a chance to meet
him and get to know him as a person, that
really told you.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Again the character of the guy. The character of the
man especially tells you a lot about the play. It's
very rare that you have the character and the player matchup.
There's a lot of good ones in the league right now,
but when you meet the rare ones I have both
and equally great at both, that tells you all you
need to know. And whether he's an offensive player or
a defensive player, that's the kind of guy you want
(05:15):
to draft. And me and Jason were on the same
page wholeheartedly with this one.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Specific character traits.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
I know Jason talked about his leadership and you talked
a little bit about that last night as well. I
know he was part of a very talented receiver room
as well at Ohio State. But for you, what in
particular about his character stood out?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
His work ethic, You know, on the way he goes
about his business. You know, you can tell a person
by how he goes about his business. The little things
he gets good at tells you a lot about him
off the field as well. And I've seen him a
few times off the field here and there that he
doesn't know about that I've seen him, but I have
seen him, So all that kind of tied into it.
Jason does extensive homework on him. The Scout stead a
(05:53):
heck of a job doing their homework on them, and
everybody was on the same page.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Look, who'd you say model you're gamed after? Look you
watch film of who are those those type.
Speaker 8 (06:02):
Of players out? When you when you want.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
To like learn something new or move your what you're
already building, you look into their to their tape, to
their games and say, oh I can add that in
and how it may be successful.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, I mean, honestly, there's not a specific person. I
modeled my game after I fell in love with football, yes,
but the position of playing wide receiver and the art
of it from a very young age, so I was
always studying every single receiver. I think that if you're
watching film on some of the best in the game,
you're kind of kind of naive to think that you
can't learn from everyone. So I don't take one specific
(06:34):
person and try to take from each of their games.
I think that I can learn from everyone who's doing
it at a very high level and try to implement
parts of their games. So there's not really anybody that
I watched that I don't learn from.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
You mentioned you fellow over the game earlier.
Speaker 8 (06:47):
I take me through that.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
When when did you like Because I know you're a
multi sport, when you played volleyball two a little bit
and baseball was your first love, I'm not mistaken, But
when did you realize the football's for me? Like? And
then obviously everything came with high school and then being
heavily recruited as a five star.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
And recruit college.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Yeah, I mean, I think just being being super competitive
has always been something that I've been really fond of,
and you know, from a young age, sports offers you that,
and so I continued with it throughout my career. When
it came to you know, football, baseball, and basketball, I think,
you know, I started to separate myself even from a
(07:26):
very young age, and I was really good at all
three sports kind of narrowed it down to baseball and football,
and I was even considering being dual sport in college
and stuff like that. So you know, baseball ended up
making its way out my life by you know, just
you know, life's means. It just happened that way. And
but I've always had a soft bar in my heart,
(07:46):
in my heart for football, and you know, I remember,
you know, my first time ever.
Speaker 8 (07:52):
Getting on the field.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Everyone started playing football in first grade, all my friends
and stuff like that. And I didn't necessarily start playing
in first grade because I had to convince my parents
that the contact wasn't gonna be an issue. But I
think I was nagging them so hard that by second
grade I was on the field with everybody. So I
remember my first game, I scored like a ninety yard
touchdown and that was like I was just sitting in
the end zone and all my friends were running up
(08:14):
to me, and that feeling was like no other. So
I've kind of just been chasing that my entire life.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
I love watching your dad like.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
Not an arena right now because that at these times,
what's it mean for you to have your family here
today and being able to represent your family at the
ultimate level.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, I mean, this accomplishment is as much theirs as
it is mine. They've done a phenomenal job raising me,
sending the standard for what it is to be a
person of a high character and high integrity, driving me
to practices. When I was growing up, you know, I
played all three sports, so it wasn't like they were
just it was just one season. I was constantly on
the go and you know, off season program stuff like that.
It was rare when I didn't have at least two
(08:50):
practices a day. So they've sacrificed so much for me
to be able to get to this point, you know,
and especially as the years go on. My mom's telling
me about the prices of all these travels for my
younger siblings. She said, it's like, you know, ten thousand
dollars from my little sister's volleyball and it's like it's
just really putting it to perspective for me now all
the things that they've done to help me get to
(09:10):
this point.
Speaker 6 (09:11):
Can you talk about the cerebral part of the game
that you enjoy and how you seem to never be
satisfied with what you do and what is it about
you that drives you into those details.
Speaker 8 (09:23):
That you like about it? Well, yeah, I think that.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
One of the most unfortunate things about football is that
no one's immune to aging. So I've had to watch
some of my favorite players of all time retire, Julio
Jones being one of them more recently. But I've always
marveled the guys who no matter how old they got,
no matter how much slower they got, they're still getting
wide receiver specifically, they're still getting open. They're still having
huge impacts on the game. So I you know, I've
(09:48):
always sought to see what the what the difference in
their game was, and it always ended up being the
IQ for me. Understanding route running leverages, you know, zone coverages,
man coverages, all that type of stuff. That was really
the separate ready factor. So I like to pride myself
on being the smartest player on the field because I
know it's gonna carry me a long way, Todd, where do.
Speaker 7 (10:06):
You see Do you see him as a slot or
can he go outside?
Speaker 8 (10:11):
And where where do you see him in this offense?
Speaker 3 (10:13):
He can do all three and we see him at
all three, So he's gonna play all three. He's gonna
learn all three. Like he just said, he prides himself
as a football player being the smartest on the field
that allows him to learn all three positions. And you know,
there's enough balls to go around for everybody. Like Coach
Hartlin was talking about how self motivy you are as
a person's a players, I was talking about the first
(10:35):
time you get.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
To be and how hard you took it.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
Just ask you why you've always been his driven and
a self motivated you.
Speaker 8 (10:42):
I mean, that's kind of been a question I've been
asking myself since I was younger. Too. I'm not entirely
sure where it comes from.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I think there's you know, a lot of people who
have external motivations when it comes to football, whether they
come from, uh, not the best background, or they're trying
to provide for their families. My parents have done an
amazing job of you know, making a life for me
and my siblings that you know, we don't really need
to do anything extra, but it's always been something internal
that I've always wanted for myself.
Speaker 8 (11:09):
You know, a lot of people have other people motivating them.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
I like to joke that, you know, sometimes my my
parents are trying to hold me back because they're like, uh,
you know, you've already done three practices a day, or
you do need to work out tonight, And it was
kind of like, you know, I'll look at them like,
you know, I have to, like it's it's an obligation
I have. So I think that it's always been something
that's hardwired, hardwired in me. I don't know exactly where
(11:32):
it comes from, but I would just say I've always
been very ambitious.
Speaker 8 (11:37):
THESS one more time.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
What was the class you got to be?
Speaker 8 (11:40):
Oh? Shoot, it was it was pre COLC Yeah, prech.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
A temperature difference when you stepped off the plane here, huh.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Oh yeah, yeah, it's different. You know, I grew up
in Seattle, Washington, where you know, it's not freezing, but
it doesn't get super hot and then uh Ohio obviously
those winters are uh you know, can hit hard. So
I've never really played in somewhere with uh too high
of humidity. I played in Florida a couple of times
growing up, but those were kind of one off, so
it's not something I've spent, you know, multiple years in.
(12:11):
So definitely an adjustment that you know, I'm gonna be
ready to make.
Speaker 7 (12:15):
You, uh work Heartline Ohio State now company to hit
bare of the Buccaneers.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
You're gonna work with.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
Brian clemb and some fantastic by receivers.
Speaker 8 (12:23):
Have I got a chance to talk with him yet?
Speaker 6 (12:24):
And how exciting is it to go from one great
coach take another winter.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yeah, I just met with him not too long ago.
I've actually known him since I was in high school.
He spent a short amount of time in Oregon, and
obviously me being from the Pacific Northwest, uh that was
they were trying to recruit me heavy there. So I've
known him for a long time. I didn't end up
playing with him in college, but I'm excited to be
able to you know, further our relationship here. And I know, uh,
you know, the great offensive mind that he has and
(12:49):
just knack that he has for coaching wide receivers.
Speaker 8 (12:51):
So I'm excited to get started.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
So you actually had a Heartline play for you. You
were coaching in Miami. How excellent was that to have
that resource to reach out to, knowing him and and
be able to kind of put all the pieces together
on not just what you sar tape, the character, the person,
everything like that.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Oh it was great. You know. He was the first
one to text me after we drafted him, man, telling
me how great a guy I got and how great
a player I had. And I've been with Brian for
quite a while now we know each other pretty good.
And to have that reassurance and him text you right
afterwards for a coach that you ha, I coached him,
tells me my age. But uh, having him playing for
(13:28):
me and then coaching him and getting confirmation on what
kind of work ethic and player he is was refreshing.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
To Yuh just uh a little bit yesterday And if
you wanna chime in again you can. But why was
it so important?
Speaker 5 (13:43):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (13:43):
You know a lot of fans looking the outside saying, hey,
top five offense, you know we got to work in
the defense.
Speaker 8 (13:48):
Why was it so important to.
Speaker 7 (13:49):
Use that premium pick to get a guy like a
magget to get a wide receiver?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
In here he drafted best player we were picking at
nineteen we had, uh the value was so high on
the player. There's still more draft to go today and tomorrow.
So we got six more picks or five more picks
right now that we gotta make to get somebody on defense.
So we drafted the best player in the premium and
we drafted an offensive player. And if you can score
(14:13):
a lot of points, you're gonna win a lot of games,
and we'll we'll take care of the defense in the
next couple of days when we have the opportunity.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Kind of been leaving bad combs. Everybody talked to the media,
You've mentioned wide receiver.
Speaker 8 (14:24):
You think bands wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Be so surprised by the Well at the owners meeting,
I said, I wouldn't pass up a good offensive player,
And we had a good offensive player and we didn't
pass him up.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Jason, he talked a lot about just the integrity of
your locker room and getting the right type of guys,
and and he enters a receiver room that is known
for its selflessness, and it's kind of maybe a rarity
at that position, a skill position like that where guys
are making boogoos money and you know they they certainly
can have that bravado if they want to. But just
(14:58):
how do you see him fitting in with that group
be cause again it's a there's no gatekeeping in that group,
and and everybody's wanting to help everybody else, and guys
are happy for each other's success.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Well, I think you're kind of answering the question. I think, Uh,
he fits right in. It's gonna be seamless. I see
from day one that they're gonna be you know, it's
it's gonna be like they work together for a long time.
It's you know, he had a unique group at uh
Ohio State where which is the same thing, and they
they really didn't matter how many of them there were.
They're all gonna compete, they're all gonna cheer each other on,
(15:28):
they're all hoping for the best for each of them.
So I I I see it being the same here. So,
you know, just to fit in the locker room in
general with our team, it's he's gonna add to it.
So we like to Todd and I wanna bring in
players and our staff, Mike Rob the whole scouts, UH
players that add to the culture, and he does.
Speaker 7 (15:48):
Jason, how how hard is it you've gone through negotiations
with Chris and Mike in the past two years. Just
as someone who's a GM and has a lot of
conversations around the league, how hard is this to acquire uh,
a position player or someone like a Mecca on the
open market if he gets there, and and why that
is so valuable to to snag it when you have
it right in front of you.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, Well, players like Chris and Mike and I mean
j Mac and a Mecca there are unicorns. Uh, We're
lucky to have 'em all right now, it is. It's
very difficult. We're just very fortunate to have him and
very fortunate to be in a position where we were
able to get him. So and we'll worry about keeping
him later, one step at a time.
Speaker 8 (16:30):
Todd It, have you had a chance to talk to
Baker at all?
Speaker 3 (16:33):
I know you texted him, Jason did, said he said
some I can't even say.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
I can only imagine. Have you had a chance to talk.
Speaker 8 (16:39):
To Baker at all?
Speaker 3 (16:40):
I hadn't talked to him since we drafted a Mecca,
but I'm sure I'll text him this week.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
And and of your new offensive coordinator, Josh Brizzard getting.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
This weapon, Oh, he's doing backflips right now.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Mecca, you said that you spoke with Baker, and I
wonder if you have spoke the jailer. You said he
used to play football with seven and seventh in Washington,
and Mike, Chris or.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Any other wid Yeah, very briefly. I spoke to Jalen
last night. He just shot me a quick text night
and I texted him back. He was just congratulating me,
and you know, we're excited to be able to work together.
We've always been playing against each other growing up on
you know, rival seven on seven teams, but now we
get to be teammates, so it's gonna be amazing. Didn't
really get a chance to reach out to to Mike
or Chris yet, but I know that's gonna come here soon.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
So that excites the fact that he was able to
make such an impact, especially in the second half the
season last year at final five games he had seven
touchdowns was a big reason for this team's success.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
When they lost Chris Godwin.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Just what does that do for you, knowing that the
opportunity is there for you to.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Be able to make an impact.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yeah, I mean it excites me, but I wouldn't say
it surprises me. He is, you know, a very dynamic athlete.
I've watched him, like I said, since we're growing up.
He has crazy top end speed ball track and all
of the above. He's a big playmaker. So I think
him coming on later in the season is something that
you know, I kind of expected, especially when they called
his number when when Chris went down, So you know,
(18:01):
knowing that opportunity is there, you know, honestly, whatever my
coach is asking me, I'm gonna be able to do.
So that's really you know, whatever my job descriptions ends
up being, I'm gonna do it to the best of
my Ability's.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Any time to make the big moves in the draft
are also in the front office. Made a couple of
promotions today. I just want to talk about that, and
you know, the job they decided to get there.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Yeah, we we have some you know, when this is
Mecca's day, but I have a lot of people that
were worthy of uh getting promotion. So we'll we'll touch
on that later.
Speaker 7 (18:32):
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
We're gonna do a quick butt a while now.
Oh, thanks for being here. We're super excited to have
make it here with his Henry, his dad, his mom, Ronda,
and Eric. It's just it's always a good day when
you picked your first round pick and the next day
you're introducing him and you feel you and Todd myself,
our staffs just feel so rock solid about the person
(00:31):
and the player. And there were there are a lot
of teams that wanted him, so I'm glad we didn't
try to get cute and move back and get other
picks because we wouldn't have ended up here today with you.
So it's also awesome as a GM to have a
head coach that's a defensive minded person that is running
up the hill with his name saying we've got to
(00:52):
draft this guy. So it made it a lot easier.
So without further ado, all introduce it. Man'll let you
talk to the media here.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Yeah, excited to be here, excited to meet all you guys,
and I'm honestly ready to get started.
Speaker 3 (01:08):
Might the head coach when you watch film and that
the jumps out at you a total package. He's a playmaker.
He can play all three positions. He plays in the slides,
he plays the Z he plays the X. He can
run with the ball, he can throw the ball, he
can catch the ball. He's a very good route runner.
He's a winner. He makes contested catches. He's a very
(01:28):
precise route runner as well, a lot of speed at
the same time he blocks at the same time. He
checks all the boxes as a player and as a person.
And that made it an easy choice.
Speaker 4 (01:40):
What of these last twenty.
Speaker 5 (01:41):
Four hours been like for you? Which I'll go over.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Really well, they got me right at the airport, but no,
it's been it's been a little bit of a whirlwind.
Got the call it was I was on Pacific Standard time,
so I got the call around you know, seven fifteen PM.
Was able to celebrate with my friends and family in
all nine million people who were celebrating with me at
my draft party, and you know, the the night didn't
(02:07):
really stop. We were all really excited, and then got
up early this morning to catch a flight and now I'm.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Here, I be CoA use such a well rounded wide receiver.
Speaker 6 (02:15):
What is your strength as you see it.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
In your game right now?
Speaker 7 (02:18):
And then what's that that one thing that you want
to work on to get better at the next level.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
I believe one strength that I've always had that I've
took a lot of pride in was just ball tracking
and catching the ball. I think that, you know, there's
never been a ball in the air that I felt
like was a difficult catcher that you know, I couldn't track.
You know, I have an extensive baseball background, so I
think that's helped me out a lot, you know, playing
center field and stuff like that. So I think ball
(02:45):
in the air, I feel very comfortable with it at
all angles. So I think that's something I've always been
really good at. And then as far as improving myself
at the next level, I think that I'm a very
good and willing blocker. I think sometimes I have a
tendency to either hop or cross over or get over
excited about getting the block. So just having a better
base and continue to work and strain in that area.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
You've ben compared to guys like Alon Ross, Saint Brown,
and Chris Gotland. Of course, what about your game do
you feel comparison to those those players And how excited
you to be able to learn from Chris Godwin and
once you get the planally meet him.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, I mean I think when you think about those players, uh,
They're kind of the type of guys who are always open, great,
great route running, high football IQ, very accountable. So you know,
I welcome those comparisons. I feel like all three of
the people you just named are very are very very
good football players. And especially just being able to learn
(03:42):
from Chris. I know a lot of people have made
comparisons with me and him and now me being here
in Tampa. Just the kind of character he has from
what I hear, high i Q high work ethic. That's
how I strive to be in the NFL. I strive
to have a career like he's had, So I think
being able to learn underneath him and uh, you know,
I'm just excited to be able to establish that relationship Mecca.
Speaker 7 (04:03):
There's been several wide receivers from Ohio State over the
past couple of years that have thrived in.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
The NFL, so it has it feel to be the
next player to kind of carry on that lineage.
Speaker 8 (04:11):
Yeah, it's amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
We have a certain standard at Ohio State, especially in
the wide receiver room, that we're going to continue to
uphold year and then year out. So you know, it
just felt kind of like my duty and my obligation
to be able to do what I did throughout my career,
and the standard is the same for all the younger guys,
and they know what it is, so I wouldn't be
surprised if you see a couple of breakout years, a
couple of guys do some amazing things. Obviously, we have
(04:35):
a young cat who is doing it at a very
high level right now, but we also have some other
guys who I think are gonna, you know, uh wow,
some people in the upcoming years.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
We heard from.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Jason on this last night, but Coach Port, what was
it about how when you had a chance to meet
him and get to know him as a person, that
really told you.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Again the character of the guy. The character of the
man especially tells you a lot about the play. It's
very rare that you have the character and the player matchup.
There's a lot of good ones in the league right now,
but when you meet the rare ones I have both
and equally great at both, that tells you all you
need to know. And whether he's an offensive player or
a defensive player, that's the kind of guy you want
(05:15):
to draft. And me and Jason were on the same
page wholeheartedly with this one.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
Specific character traits.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
I know Jason talked about his leadership and you talked
a little bit about that last night as well. I
know he was part of a very talented receiver room
as well at Ohio State. But for you, what in
particular about his character stood out?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
His work ethic, You know, on the way he goes
about his business. You know, you can tell a person
by how he goes about his business. The little things
he gets good at tells you a lot about him
off the field as well. And I've seen him a
few times off the field here and there that he
doesn't know about that I've seen him, but I have
seen him, So all that kind of tied into it.
Jason does extensive homework on him. The Scout stead a
(05:53):
heck of a job doing their homework on them, and
everybody was on the same page.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
Look, who'd you say model you're gamed after? Look you
watch film of who are those those type.
Speaker 8 (06:02):
Of players out? When you when you want.
Speaker 4 (06:04):
To like learn something new or move your what you're
already building, you look into their to their tape, to
their games and say, oh I can add that in
and how it may be successful.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, I mean, honestly, there's not a specific person. I
modeled my game after I fell in love with football, yes,
but the position of playing wide receiver and the art
of it from a very young age, so I was
always studying every single receiver. I think that if you're
watching film on some of the best in the game,
you're kind of kind of naive to think that you
can't learn from everyone. So I don't take one specific
(06:34):
person and try to take from each of their games.
I think that I can learn from everyone who's doing
it at a very high level and try to implement
parts of their games. So there's not really anybody that
I watched that I don't learn from.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
You mentioned you fellow over the game earlier.
Speaker 8 (06:47):
I take me through that.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
When when did you like Because I know you're a
multi sport, when you played volleyball two a little bit
and baseball was your first love, I'm not mistaken, But
when did you realize the football's for me? Like? And
then obviously everything came with high school and then being
heavily recruited as a five star.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
And recruit college.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Yeah, I mean, I think just being being super competitive
has always been something that I've been really fond of,
and you know, from a young age, sports offers you that,
and so I continued with it throughout my career. When
it came to you know, football, baseball, and basketball, I think,
you know, I started to separate myself even from a
(07:26):
very young age, and I was really good at all
three sports kind of narrowed it down to baseball and football,
and I was even considering being dual sport in college
and stuff like that. So you know, baseball ended up
making its way out my life by you know, just
you know, life's means. It just happened that way. And
but I've always had a soft bar in my heart,
(07:46):
in my heart for football, and you know, I remember,
you know, my first time ever.
Speaker 8 (07:52):
Getting on the field.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Everyone started playing football in first grade, all my friends
and stuff like that. And I didn't necessarily start playing
in first grade because I had to convince my parents
that the contact wasn't gonna be an issue. But I
think I was nagging them so hard that by second
grade I was on the field with everybody. So I
remember my first game, I scored like a ninety yard
touchdown and that was like I was just sitting in
the end zone and all my friends were running up
(08:14):
to me, and that feeling was like no other. So
I've kind of just been chasing that my entire life.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
I love watching your dad like.
Speaker 5 (08:19):
Not an arena right now because that at these times,
what's it mean for you to have your family here
today and being able to represent your family at the
ultimate level.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, I mean, this accomplishment is as much theirs as
it is mine. They've done a phenomenal job raising me,
sending the standard for what it is to be a
person of a high character and high integrity, driving me
to practices. When I was growing up, you know, I
played all three sports, so it wasn't like they were
just it was just one season. I was constantly on
the go and you know, off season program stuff like that.
It was rare when I didn't have at least two
(08:50):
practices a day. So they've sacrificed so much for me
to be able to get to this point, you know,
and especially as the years go on. My mom's telling
me about the prices of all these travels for my
younger siblings. She said, it's like, you know, ten thousand
dollars from my little sister's volleyball and it's like it's
just really putting it to perspective for me now all
the things that they've done to help me get to
(09:10):
this point.
Speaker 6 (09:11):
Can you talk about the cerebral part of the game
that you enjoy and how you seem to never be
satisfied with what you do and what is it about
you that drives you into those details.
Speaker 8 (09:23):
That you like about it? Well, yeah, I think that.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
One of the most unfortunate things about football is that
no one's immune to aging. So I've had to watch
some of my favorite players of all time retire, Julio
Jones being one of them more recently. But I've always
marveled the guys who no matter how old they got,
no matter how much slower they got, they're still getting
wide receiver specifically, they're still getting open. They're still having
huge impacts on the game. So I you know, I've
(09:48):
always sought to see what the what the difference in
their game was, and it always ended up being the
IQ for me. Understanding route running leverages, you know, zone coverages,
man coverages, all that type of stuff. That was really
the separate ready factor. So I like to pride myself
on being the smartest player on the field because I
know it's gonna carry me a long way, Todd, where do.
Speaker 7 (10:06):
You see Do you see him as a slot or
can he go outside?
Speaker 8 (10:11):
And where where do you see him in this offense?
Speaker 3 (10:13):
He can do all three and we see him at
all three, So he's gonna play all three. He's gonna
learn all three. Like he just said, he prides himself
as a football player being the smartest on the field
that allows him to learn all three positions. And you know,
there's enough balls to go around for everybody. Like Coach
Hartlin was talking about how self motivy you are as
a person's a players, I was talking about the first
(10:35):
time you get.
Speaker 4 (10:35):
To be and how hard you took it.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
Just ask you why you've always been his driven and
a self motivated you.
Speaker 8 (10:42):
I mean, that's kind of been a question I've been
asking myself since I was younger. Too. I'm not entirely
sure where it comes from.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I think there's you know, a lot of people who
have external motivations when it comes to football, whether they
come from, uh, not the best background, or they're trying
to provide for their families. My parents have done an
amazing job of you know, making a life for me
and my siblings that you know, we don't really need
to do anything extra, but it's always been something internal
that I've always wanted for myself.
Speaker 8 (11:09):
You know, a lot of people have other people motivating them.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
I like to joke that, you know, sometimes my my
parents are trying to hold me back because they're like, uh,
you know, you've already done three practices a day, or
you do need to work out tonight, And it was
kind of like, you know, I'll look at them like,
you know, I have to, like it's it's an obligation
I have. So I think that it's always been something
that's hardwired, hardwired in me. I don't know exactly where
(11:32):
it comes from, but I would just say I've always
been very ambitious.
Speaker 8 (11:37):
THESS one more time.
Speaker 6 (11:39):
What was the class you got to be?
Speaker 8 (11:40):
Oh? Shoot, it was it was pre COLC Yeah, prech.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
A temperature difference when you stepped off the plane here, huh.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
Oh yeah, yeah, it's different. You know, I grew up
in Seattle, Washington, where you know, it's not freezing, but
it doesn't get super hot and then uh Ohio obviously
those winters are uh you know, can hit hard. So
I've never really played in somewhere with uh too high
of humidity. I played in Florida a couple of times
growing up, but those were kind of one off, so
it's not something I've spent, you know, multiple years in.
(12:11):
So definitely an adjustment that you know, I'm gonna be
ready to make.
Speaker 7 (12:15):
You, uh work Heartline Ohio State now company to hit
bare of the Buccaneers.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
You're gonna work with.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
Brian clemb and some fantastic by receivers.
Speaker 8 (12:23):
Have I got a chance to talk with him yet?
Speaker 6 (12:24):
And how exciting is it to go from one great
coach take another winter.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Yeah, I just met with him not too long ago.
I've actually known him since I was in high school.
He spent a short amount of time in Oregon, and
obviously me being from the Pacific Northwest, uh that was
they were trying to recruit me heavy there. So I've
known him for a long time. I didn't end up
playing with him in college, but I'm excited to be
able to you know, further our relationship here. And I know, uh,
you know, the great offensive mind that he has and
(12:49):
just knack that he has for coaching wide receivers.
Speaker 8 (12:51):
So I'm excited to get started.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
So you actually had a Heartline play for you. You
were coaching in Miami. How excellent was that to have
that resource to reach out to, knowing him and and
be able to kind of put all the pieces together
on not just what you sar tape, the character, the person,
everything like that.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Oh it was great. You know. He was the first
one to text me after we drafted him, man, telling
me how great a guy I got and how great
a player I had. And I've been with Brian for
quite a while now we know each other pretty good.
And to have that reassurance and him text you right
afterwards for a coach that you ha, I coached him,
tells me my age. But uh, having him playing for
(13:28):
me and then coaching him and getting confirmation on what
kind of work ethic and player he is was refreshing.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
To Yuh just uh a little bit yesterday And if
you wanna chime in again you can. But why was
it so important?
Speaker 5 (13:43):
Uh?
Speaker 7 (13:43):
You know a lot of fans looking the outside saying, hey,
top five offense, you know we got to work in
the defense.
Speaker 8 (13:48):
Why was it so important to.
Speaker 7 (13:49):
Use that premium pick to get a guy like a
magget to get a wide receiver?
Speaker 2 (13:53):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
In here he drafted best player we were picking at
nineteen we had, uh the value was so high on
the player. There's still more draft to go today and tomorrow.
So we got six more picks or five more picks
right now that we gotta make to get somebody on defense.
So we drafted the best player in the premium and
we drafted an offensive player. And if you can score
(14:13):
a lot of points, you're gonna win a lot of games,
and we'll we'll take care of the defense in the
next couple of days when we have the opportunity.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Kind of been leaving bad combs. Everybody talked to the media,
You've mentioned wide receiver.
Speaker 8 (14:24):
You think bands wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Be so surprised by the Well at the owners meeting,
I said, I wouldn't pass up a good offensive player,
And we had a good offensive player and we didn't
pass him up.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Jason, he talked a lot about just the integrity of
your locker room and getting the right type of guys,
and and he enters a receiver room that is known
for its selflessness, and it's kind of maybe a rarity
at that position, a skill position like that where guys
are making boogoos money and you know they they certainly
can have that bravado if they want to. But just
(14:58):
how do you see him fitting in with that group
be cause again it's a there's no gatekeeping in that group,
and and everybody's wanting to help everybody else, and guys
are happy for each other's success.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
Well, I think you're kind of answering the question. I think, Uh,
he fits right in. It's gonna be seamless. I see
from day one that they're gonna be you know, it's
it's gonna be like they work together for a long time.
It's you know, he had a unique group at uh
Ohio State where which is the same thing, and they
they really didn't matter how many of them there were.
They're all gonna compete, they're all gonna cheer each other on,
(15:28):
they're all hoping for the best for each of them.
So I I I see it being the same here. So,
you know, just to fit in the locker room in
general with our team, it's he's gonna add to it.
So we like to Todd and I wanna bring in
players and our staff, Mike Rob the whole scouts, UH
players that add to the culture, and he does.
Speaker 7 (15:48):
Jason, how how hard is it you've gone through negotiations
with Chris and Mike in the past two years. Just
as someone who's a GM and has a lot of
conversations around the league, how hard is this to acquire uh,
a position player or someone like a Mecca on the
open market if he gets there, and and why that
is so valuable to to snag it when you have
it right in front of you.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Yeah, Well, players like Chris and Mike and I mean
j Mac and a Mecca there are unicorns. Uh, We're
lucky to have 'em all right now, it is. It's
very difficult. We're just very fortunate to have him and
very fortunate to be in a position where we were
able to get him. So and we'll worry about keeping
him later, one step at a time.
Speaker 8 (16:30):
Todd It, have you had a chance to talk to
Baker at all?
Speaker 3 (16:33):
I know you texted him, Jason did, said he said
some I can't even say.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
I can only imagine. Have you had a chance to talk.
Speaker 8 (16:39):
To Baker at all?
Speaker 3 (16:40):
I hadn't talked to him since we drafted a Mecca,
but I'm sure I'll text him this week.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
And and of your new offensive coordinator, Josh Brizzard getting.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
This weapon, Oh, he's doing backflips right now.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
Mecca, you said that you spoke with Baker, and I
wonder if you have spoke the jailer. You said he
used to play football with seven and seventh in Washington,
and Mike, Chris or.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Any other wid Yeah, very briefly. I spoke to Jalen
last night. He just shot me a quick text night
and I texted him back. He was just congratulating me,
and you know, we're excited to be able to work together.
We've always been playing against each other growing up on
you know, rival seven on seven teams, but now we
get to be teammates, so it's gonna be amazing. Didn't
really get a chance to reach out to to Mike
or Chris yet, but I know that's gonna come here soon.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
So that excites the fact that he was able to
make such an impact, especially in the second half the
season last year at final five games he had seven
touchdowns was a big reason for this team's success.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
When they lost Chris Godwin.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Just what does that do for you, knowing that the
opportunity is there for you to.
Speaker 4 (17:39):
Be able to make an impact.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yeah, I mean it excites me, but I wouldn't say
it surprises me. He is, you know, a very dynamic athlete.
I've watched him, like I said, since we're growing up.
He has crazy top end speed ball track and all
of the above. He's a big playmaker. So I think
him coming on later in the season is something that
you know, I kind of expected, especially when they called
his number when when Chris went down, So you know,
(18:01):
knowing that opportunity is there, you know, honestly, whatever my
coach is asking me, I'm gonna be able to do.
So that's really you know, whatever my job descriptions ends
up being, I'm gonna do it to the best of
my Ability's.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Any time to make the big moves in the draft
are also in the front office. Made a couple of
promotions today. I just want to talk about that, and
you know, the job they decided to get there.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Yeah, we we have some you know, when this is
Mecca's day, but I have a lot of people that
were worthy of uh getting promotion. So we'll we'll touch
on that later.
Speaker 7 (18:32):
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
We're gonna do a quick butt a while now.
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