Bucs hail Egbuka, a 'one-of-one' WR, after win

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka continued his dazzling rookie campaign Sunday, collecting 163 receiving yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion in a 38-35 victory over the Seahawks in Seattle.

Egbuka, who grew up 40 minutes outside of Seattle, became the first player in NFL history with at least 25 receptions, 400 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns through his first five career games as Tampa Bay had its fourth come-from-behind victory in five games.

"He's kind of one of one," quarterback Baker Mayfield said of Egbuka. "He continues to amaze and compete and do the things that everybody has seen him do like he did in college."

Added coach Todd Bowles: "He was outstanding."

Perhaps even more impressive with Egbuka's performance Sunday is that came with him getting the lion's share of attention from the opposing defense with star receiver Mike Evans still out with a hamstring injury and star running back Bucky Irving missing his first game with a foot sprain/shoulder subluxation.

Egbuka nearly had a second touchdown, too, but his 57-yard reception was stopped at the 2-yard line (running back Rachaad White ran it in two plays later).

Neither Mayfield nor Bowles said they have seen a rookie wide receiver with the stuff of Egbuka, the 19th pick in this year's draft after becoming Ohio State's all-time receptions leader.

"It's his mentality. It's his physical makeup. It's his willingness to work. It's his intelligence. It's his athleticism -- he's just one of those guys," Bowles said. "He has the entire makeup and the entire package, and that's hard to get, and that's hard to see in a rookie."

The stats back that up:

Egbuka became one of four players in NFL history with at least 20 receptions, 300 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns through five career games (Ja'Marr Chase, Roy Williams, Randy Moss).

He's the sixth player in the last 25 years with five or more receiving TDs in his first five career games (Martavis Bryant, Calvin Ridley, Chase, Terry McLaurin, and Williams).

He now owns the franchise record for receptions (25), receiving yards (445) and receiving TDs (5) through a player's first five career games with Tampa Bay.