Buccaneers rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will meet for the first time in the NFL this week since their days as teammates at Ohio State. Apparently, luckily for Buckeyes fans, they’ll be wearing different uniforms this time.
After a two-touchdown performance in his debut game last week, Egbuka joined The Insiders on NFL Network Friday where he discussed his relationship with his former quarterback. He took the opportunity to share a funny story about his time at Ohio State before he became a household name.
“Before I kind of came into my own at Ohio State,” Egbuka said on The Insiders. “All the fans used to call me C.J., said we look alike and stuff like that. Definitely got stopped a few times on the side of the street asking for autographs before people knew who I was.”
From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: #Bucs impressive young WR Emeka Egbuka joined the show to discuss his big start, why he was NFL-ready, and facing his buddy CJ Stroud. pic.twitter.com/fBIx8fJw15
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 12, 2025
That confusion didn’t last for long as Egbuka broke out during Stroud’s last season with the Buckeyes. In 2022, he caught 74 passes for 1,151 yards and 10 touchdowns before Stroud declared for the NFL draft and was selected by the Texans with the No. 2 pick.
Egbuka recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in his final season at Ohio State last year, helping the Buckeyes toward a national championship before the Bucs took him with the 19th pick in the first round of this year’s draft.
Stroud and the Texans lost to the Rams 14–9 in their Week 1 game as he completed 19-for-27 passes for 188 yards and no touchdowns with one interception. Egbuka’s second score of Tampa Bay’s Week 1 game against the Falcons lifted the team to a 23–20 victory. He had four catches on six targets for 67 yards and the two touchdowns Sunday.
Now, the two will meet at the next level for the first time on Monday Night Football. They certainly won’t get confused for one another any longer.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Emeka Egbuka Shares Funny C.J. Stroud Ohio State Story Ahead of Bucs-Texans Clash.
