Jets' Garrett Wilson set for reunion with Ohio State teammate Emeka Egbuka
OSU connection fuels Sunday clash as Egbuka shines early for Buccaneers; Wilson and Fields linked to Buckeyes era
The New York Jets will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon in a reunion of former Ohio State receivers, as Garrett Wilson faces Emeka Egbuka, his college teammate who has opened his NFL career with a quick start for Tampa Bay.
Egbuka has been productive in two NFL games, collecting eight receptions for 96 yards and three touchdowns. He was a freshman during Wilson’s junior season at Ohio State, part of a receivers room that included Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Those Buckeyes reached the national championship game before losing to Alabama.
That connection isn’t lost on Wilson. "It'll be good to see him. He's having a great start to his career. I'm happy for him," Wilson said Thursday. Egbuka, though, has hip/groin tightness and hasn’t practiced this week.
Wilson also praised the quarterback he’s closer to in the NFL, friend Justin Fields, who has been ruled out this week with a concussion. Wilson said, "That's a tough guy. I'm sure they told him, 'Nah, bro, you can't play.' He's just a warrior."
The Jets could be without two starters on Sunday in Reynolds and Jermaine Johnson, who remained out of practice Thursday with hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively. Reynolds was inactive in Sunday’s loss to the Bills. Defensive lineman Jay Tufele and returner Kene Nwangwu also sat out with illness and a hamstring, while safety Tony Adams (hip), cornerback Michael Carter II (shoulder) and linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball (hamstring) were limited. Adams and Carter did not practice Wednesday.
The reunion underscores the broader thread of Ohio State’s reach in the NFL, with Wilson and Egbuka among a growing number of Buckeyes in the league. Sunday’s game will test both the Jets’ depth and the Buccaneers’ emerging playmakers as two years’ worth of OSU-recruiting lore collide on the field.