Even Baker Mayfield, quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, embraced their first-round draft pick Emeka Egbuka. He welcomed us to a lovely brunch at the Tampa Club on Saturday morning. Egbuka and his family jumped at the opportunity to make a positive impression on Mayfield and other members of the team. This meeting happened just prior to the Bucs rookie minicamp, scheduled for May 9-10.
Even ESPN reporter and Buccaneers’ beat Jenna Laine got in on the action with an electric tweet. Mayfield and wife Emily welcomed Egbuka and his family to their party — wow! Egbuka’s family traveled to Tampa on Friday in preparation for the weekend’s festivities. This circle of support consists of his dad Henry, mom Rhonda Ogilvie, and stepdad Eric Ogilvie.
Egbuka seized on the brunch and used it as a goodwill gesture. More importantly, it provided him an opportunity to better connect with his future teammates. With him were Bucs vice president of player engagement Duke Preston and most of the Bucs offensive linemen. Among the standouts were Luke Goedeke, Cody Mauch, Ben Bredeson, and Graham Barton. Barton’s girlfriend, Sydney Dagostino, attended.
Mayfield rolled out the red carpet for Egbuka, an early-enough national signing day success. With lightning speed, he requested her contact info, and when would she arrive. This forward-thinking effort speaks to Mayfield’s desire to build a sense of brotherhood among the squad.
“When is he getting in?” – Jason Licht
Egbuka said he’s very excited to join the Buccaneers, and have the chance to learn from a seasoned veteran like Mayfield.
“He’s a Heisman winner. There are not too many people who have that achievement and he’s done great things as well in the league. He’s had successful receivers all the way around him so I’m just excited to be able to learn and to grow with him at the helm of everything I’m doing [with] a seasoned vet like he is,” – Emeka Egbuka
As the Buccaneers head toward their first training camp practices in mid-July, this brunch represented one of the first moments of togetherness for the team. The sense of community shared between players and families is another key ingredient. Even better, it’ll deepen their connection as they begin their shared NFL journey.
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