Here’s an opportunity to reconsider your views if you doubt Emeka Egbuka simply because he’s mainly a slot receiver. Admittedly, he spent most of his college career at Ohio State playing in the slot. However, he is capable of much more.

Even if he primarily plays the slot, he can still emerge as a premier target and a smart first-round pick for the Green Bay Packers next week—they hosted him for a top-30 pre-draft meeting. The Packers haven’t picked a receiver in the first round since 2002, back when Mike Sherman held dual roles as head coach and general manager.

The lineage of Ron Wolf, Ted Thompson, and Brian Gutekunst has never made such a selection, at least not in Green Bay. John Schneider did it with the Seattle Seahawks, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, interestingly, is also a primary slot receiver.

Egbuka is much more versatile than that. At Ohio State, he mostly lined up inside, logging just 70 snaps outside compared to 343 in the slot last season. The numbers were more evenly distributed in 2022, with 276 snaps in the slot and 122 out wide. Yet, he excels when playing outside.

In those situations, Egbuka recorded 2.78 yards per route run, outperforming Matthew Golden (2.1), Luther Burden (2.32), and Jayden Higgins (2.66), and nearly matching Tetairoa McMillan (2.87). These are the other top wide receivers in his class according to consensus rankings. While he wasn’t as effective against man coverage based on production metrics, his solid route-running, contested catch ability, and football IQ make him a valuable asset across the offense.

Playing in the slot isn’t necessarily a diminished role. Even after reviewing the numbers, you might still believe Egbuka is best suited for the slot. Several NFL teams might agree. However, even in this role, players can generate significant value and top-tier production. By 2025, most NFL offenses frequently operate out of 11 personnel, meaning great slot receivers play the entire game.

Last year, five of the top 10 receivers in passer rating when targeted spent at least half their snaps in the slot: Jayden Reed (!), Amon-Ra St. Brown, Chris Godwin, Ladd McConkey, and DeVonta Smith. McConkey, Godwin, St. Brown, and CeeDee Lamb also ranked among the top 15 in yards per route run. This isn’t just about efficiency with easier targets; it’s true effectiveness.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, whom the Packers passed on to draft Lukas Van Ness in 2023, ended last season with 1,130 yards and six touchdowns, sharing targets with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett.

The intricacies of Matt LaFleur’s offense: Initially, you might think Egbuka and Jayden Reed are redundant within the offensive framework. That’s not entirely accurate. While both can be seen as slot receivers, they differ physically and serve distinct roles. Reed is smaller and excels with lateral speed, whereas Egbuka is more of a technical expert, capitalizing on defensive weaknesses with his precise route running.

Egbuka may have been overshadowed at times because he played alongside Marvin Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jeremiah Smith, and Carnell Tate. Nonetheless, he is an offensive coordinator’s dream due to his impeccable attention to detail. LaFleur’s offense features a unique trait that could benefit him. The Packers frequently utilize condensed formations akin to the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay coaching tree. So, even if Egbuka is theoretically positioned out wide, he remains closer to the center of the field than he would in a spread offense.

Wide receiver is a crucial position for both on-field impact and financial gain. Projecting a player with a greater likelihood of immediate success than Egbuka is challenging. He brings much more to the table than a limited role, and the Packers have the chance to add a game-changing asset that is especially rare late in the first round.