Ohio State recruiting: Wide receiver Emeka Egbuka loves Buckeyes 'vibe'
COLUMBUS — Ohio State is off to a good start in the busiest weekend so far of 2019. The Buckeyes have made a major impression on Steilacoom (Wash.) 2021 receiver Emeka Egbuka, one of the program’s top early targets in next year’s recruiting cycle.
Though he’s still on campus to watch Saturday’s practice, Egbuka reached out to Lettermen Row on Friday night after he left the football facilities on the first of a two-day visit to provide an update on how he and his family have enjoyed their visit.
“I don’t know what I expected,” the early 5-star candidate in the Class of 2021 said. “I just love the energy. It’s just different from other places I have been.”
That kind of comment sounds cliché, but the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Egbuka isn’t the lip-service type. He found himself sort of speechless after Friday’s time at Ohio State, which followed a Thursday trip to Notre Dame.
“It’s just something you can’t put into words,” Egbuka said. “Just a vibe you get when you’re surrounded by the people and the community. We did the academic talk and all the facilities and stuff, but also a lot of talking with the players.”
One of the highlights of Egbuka’s Notre Dame visit was a chance to talk to receiver Myles Boykin, who is set to enter the NFL Draft. In Columbus, he talked with Parris Campbell, a player the Ohio State coaching staff pointed to as a comparable kind of talent.
“Parris talked with all the receivers that were there and just told us about his experiences,” he said. “Coach Hartline compared me to him.”
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Hartline and Egbuka have quickly formed a strong relationship, one that was bolstered with some more in-person communication. He also had one-on-one time with Ryan Day, who he’s also met before.
“They have both been to my school but I got a better taste of both of them, they are both great,” he said. “Coach Day is a great offensive mind.
“Coach Hartline talks about the art of being a receiver like nobody else I have been around.”
Another facet of Friday’s visit that stood out to Egbuka was Ohio State’s commitment to what he becomes off the field.
“They did both a Real Life Wednesday and a Brand U presentation, and both were great,” he said. “I’ve not seen that at all anywhere else. They just asked some things about me [for Brand U] and said they will have something to pitch for me next time I am on campus. My parents loved the academic presentation.”
Egbuka will leave Columbus on Sunday morning. but he’s already anxious to return to Ohio State.
“We’re just going to continue to build relationships and stuff,” he said. “Ohio State will be hard to top. I want to get back here really badly. I’m just not sure when.”
