Ohio State standout named potential Chicago Bears’ ‘surprise’ first-round pick

The first-round of the NFL Draft always leads to some form of chaos, whether it be via trades or a team reaching for a player. The 2025 edition will be no different, and the Chicago Bears will be at the center of it.

Every possible outcome for the Bears has already been predicted. Staying put and drafting offense, or defense, a trade up, or down is all on the table. Chicago was aggressive in free agency, filling many of their roster holes. Because of that, the franchise can take a best-player type approach to their selection at No. 10, rather than solely drafting for need.

There are a handful of prospects Chicago is seriously considering at No. 10. But if the Bears wanted to throw the NFL Draft for a loop, Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus called Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka the team’s “surprise” first-round pick.

Emeka Egbuka’s pro comparison in the PFF Draft Guide is Amon-Ra St. Brown. If Ben Johnson shares that evaluation, he could target Egbuka to boost a Bears offense that ranked 29th in slot receiving grade last season,” Wasserman said. “Egbuka would also bring value as a willing blocker in Chicago’s retooled ground game.”

If the Bears were seriously targeting Egbuka, it seems more likely they would do so with their No. 39 or No. 41 overall pick. However, perhaps Egbuka’s stock has been raising behind the scenes. It still seems like a bit of a reach for Chicago to use No. 10 on the receiver, but if nothing else, the connection shows how strong Egbuka would be in the Bears’ offense.

What Emeka Egbuka offers Chicago Bears 

Egbuka spent four years at Ohio State, appearing in 49 games. He caught 205 total passes for 2,868 yards and 24 touchdowns. Egbuka is Ohio State’s all-time career leader in receptions and ended his time with the Buckeyes by winning the national championship.

Twice did the wide receiver surpass 1,000 yards. Furthermore, he had 10 touchdowns during both his sophomore and senior seasons. Egbuka is an experienced receiver who would give Caleb Williams another safety blanket. If cornerbacks are too focused on DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, Egbuka can find holes in the defense. As he prepares to enter the NFL Draft, Egbuka received a comparison to current Seattle Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

“Fluid athlete with good size and quality ball skills who works primarily from the slot. Egbuka runs his routes with tempo and pace. He does a nice job of influencing coverage when needed,” Zierlein wrote. “He lacks the explosiveness to race past the coverage and is a little tight in his hips getting in and out of breaks.”

“Egbuka’s baseball background shows up with his laser-focused ball-tracking and ability to make sudden adjustments to bring throws in for a safe landing,” ZIerlein concluded. “He’s not elusive or sudden after the catch but is competitive and can squeeze out additional yardage. Egbuka projects as an early starter at slot for teams running heavy amounts of three-wideout sets.”

On some franchise’s draft boards, Egbuka may be their No. 1 receiver. He hasn’t been getting much top 10 hype, but the Ohio State standout will be a true weapon in whatever offense he lands in. Playing for Ben Johnson on the Bears would certainly start his career on the right foot.

Bears turn to draft for receiver 

Moore and Odunze are the unquestioned leaders atop Chicago’s wide receiver depth chart. The team will continue to build the position around them. Still, Johnson wants Williams to have numerous strong pass catchers he can throw to.

The team signed Olamide Zaccheaus to a one-year contract during free agency. He spent the 2024 campaign with the Washington Commanders, making a career-high 45 receptions for 506 yards and three touchdowns. Things will certainly change with the draft, but Zaccheaus is currently penciled in as the third receiver on the depth chart.

Behind him are a slew of interesting names, yet not much production. Devin Duvernay is primarily a special teamer while Miles Boykin was out of the league in 2024. Tyler Scott hasn’t lived up to his fourth-round potential. While any of the three could pop, Chicago surely wants more potential at wide receiver.

Which is what Egbuka or the litany of 2025 draft wide receivers will offer the team. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Bears use an early first round pick at wide receiver, and on Egbuka specifically. Still, it’d be a major shock if he went No. 10.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/ohio-state-chicago-bears-surprise-first-round?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ohio-state-chicago-bears-surprise-first-round