The Buccaneers didn’t have time to ease rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka into the lineup and the first-round pick didn’t need it.
Injuries to Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan meant that Egbuka was in the starting lineup alongside Mike Evans in his regular season debut and it proved to be a memorable one. Egbuka caught four passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning score with 59 seconds left in Tampa’s 23-20 win over the Falcons.
After the game, quarterback Baker Mayfield said that Egbuka had no trouble winning his trust.
“Extremely quickly,” Mayfield said, via the team’s website. “I just think the way he carries himself , I’ve told you guys, it wasn’t a front. You saw it live today, in person. He’s the real deal. True professional. Doesn’t play like a rookie