Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka returning to Ohio State football for senior season in 2024
Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka announced Thursday that he will return for his senior season with the Buckeyes rather than enter the NFL draft.
“I'm back," he wrote in a graphic posted on Instagram.
Egbuka, the nation’s top-ranked receiver prospect in the 2021 recruiting class, emerged as a breakout star for the Buckeyes as a sophomore in 2022 to put himself in a position to be an early round draft pick.
Replacing Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the starting slot receiver, he became only the ninth 1,000-yard receiver in school history as he caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns to complement Marvin Harrison Jr., the Buckeyes’ superstar pass catcher.
But injuries hurt him this past season, leading to a dip in production. He injured his left ankle against Maryland in early October. The setback, which was significant enough to require surgery, prompted him to miss three games and limited his involvement in the weeks following his return.
Egbuka finished the season with 41 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns.
His decision ensures at least some continuity among Ohio State’s receiving corps ahead of next season with Julian Fleming transferring to Penn State, and Harrison leaving for the NFL.
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Egbuka is the only receiver left on the roster with any significant starting experience, a boost for whichever passer follows Kyle McCord as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback.
He also brings back versatility, having lined up as an outside receiver in addition to the slot. He went out wide on about a third of his snaps over the last two seasons, according to data from Pro Football Focus.
Egbuka’s best stretch last season came before his ankle injury, and he stepped up late in Ohio State’s comeback at Notre Dame, catching a pair of passes on third down on the Buckeyes’ game-winning touchdown drive.
The second of his receptions, a 21-yard catch on third-and-19, positioned the Buckeyes just shy of the goal line in the final seconds and led to Chip Trayanum's game-winning touchdown.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch and can be reached at jkaufman@dispatch.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football WR Emeka Egbuka returning for senior season
