Fresh off a national championship win with Ohio State, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka seems to have found an admirer in Mercedes Sapp. Interestingly, this newfound support didn’t blossom immediately after the Buckeyes’ title victory but rather after Egbuka heard his name called by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their first-round pick in the NFL Draft.

Just days prior to the draft, the 27-year-old daughter of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Warren Sapp, had her eyes set on a different player. She even took to Instagram, posting a story expressing her hope that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders “doesn’t go to the Saints” in the draft. However, the winds of draft day have clearly shifted her allegiance, and now former Ohio State star Emeka Egbuka’s got her attention. Egbuka’s got a new, possibly biggest fan in Warren Sapp’s daughter, even with her dad coaching elsewhere in Boulder. But Day 1 draft chaos? Looks like it got to her.

Draft day drama leaves Mercedes Sapp on ‘don’t disturb’ mode 

The drama and unpredictability of the 2025 NFL Draft’s opening day proved to be quite a rollercoaster for Mercedes. Forget the usual chats about Sephora’s new launch or grabbing coffee with the girls. Mercedes’s focus has now laser-shifted to the NFL Draft. On April 24th, in the lead-up to the big day, she even shared a screenshot of a text exchange with someone labeled “baby chaos coordinator 💕,” captioning it with a playful, “🤭🤭🤭 when two girls LOVE football.”

As Draft Day finally arrived, Mercedes’s anticipation reached its peak. The moment the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced Emeka Egbuka as their No. 19 overall pick, she wasted no time in extending a spirited welcome to her newfound favorite player in Tampa Bay. Sapp’s daughter enthusiastically wrote, “prepare to be SICK of me 🤭.” This immediate and public display of support shows a genuine excitement for Egbuka joining her father’s former team. But what made her vent to her Hall of Famer dad?

This time, Mercedes just kept it cryptic. The conversation went like this…Sapp’s daughter wrote, “Lmao. Vegas? 🤔 Whatcha think.” The reply came, “i’m thinking vegas.” Post which Mercedes’ frustration picked up. She wrote in caps, “THEY TRADED THE PICK TO THE HOUSTON TEXANS W- – – – -.”

The Las Vegas Raiders had their No.6 with multiple options in hand, including Egbuka, Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. But they finally sealed the deal with Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty. While Mercedes has been Shedeur’s fan too, we don’t know what left her upset. Then came more chaos…… 

The first round of the draft saw a flurry of activity beyond the initial selections. After a quiet spell, the New York Giants traded back into the first round to snag quarterback Jaxson Dart with the 25th overall pick. In exchange, the Texans acquired three picks, including a third-rounder in the 2026 draft. Adding to the chaos, the Texans then traded their 58th and 99th picks in the 2025 draft to the Las Vegas Raiders for the Raiders’ No. 48 pick.

Just moments after this trade, the Atlanta Falcons also made a move back into the first round. They used the 26th overall pick to select pass rusher James Pearce Jr. Well, they gave up their 2026 first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams to move up for Pearce Jr.

This draft day drama seemed to have had an impact on Mercedes Sapp. Her earlier enthusiasm for Emeka Egbuka’s selection by the Buccaneers may have been dampened by other unexpected picks or trades. Perhaps a player she had been hoping for didn’t get selected where she anticipated.

Reflecting her surprise at one of the trades, Mercedes wrote, “They went down to pick 26 LIKE HUH.” She also shared how she was processing the unfolding events, writing, “I texted my Dad Like w- – is happening.” We don’t know exactly what bummed Mercedes out, but all those trades and picks later in the first round definitely surprised her. While she seemed a bit down about some choices, others were pretty happy about how things ended up for her fav Bucs.    

How Emeka Egbuka could be the key to Bucs’ balanced attack

The building is thrilled over the selection, describing the first-round pick as ‘our type of guy.’ The Bucs had a top-five offense in 2024 and just added another dimension to their aerial attack. Even former Indianapolis punter and now analyst Pat McAfee shared his take. On April 25, he tweeted, “EMEKA EGBUKA TO THE TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS They add ANOTHER WEAPON for Baker Mayfield.” What makes McAfee count on the ex-Ohio State wide receiver as Baker Mayfield’s shield? Egbuka is a smooth athlete with effortless body control. This allows him to work in and out of breaks and re-adjust on the fly.

Tampa Bay finished the 2024 season 10-7 and NFC South Champs. The Buccaneers hosted the Washington Commanders in the Wild Card round but lost 23-20. Now, Egbuka might flip their luck as he will be joining longtime wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Yes, it’s definitely a crowded room. But that’s not new for the newest Buccaneer. Sleeper NFL tweeted, “Emeka Egbuka is a great blocker for Bucky Irving Great Pick 💪.”

The former Ohio State receiver will give the Bucs a four-receiver set that will create one-on-one opportunities they can win. He also might help spread the field and create more space for running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White. The Buccaneers’ selection of Emeka Egbuka, seemingly, lets Jason Licht breathe easy. On the other hand, now it’s a full house for the Bucs.

They picked Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame as their pick No. 53. As pick no. 84, they landed Jacob Parrish, CB, Kansas State. The son of an NFL defensive back, who was once teammates with Todd Bowles in Washington, Morrison has the physical tools. He is eager to produce turnovers, as it’s in his “DNA.” Parrish is not the prototypical size that Tampa Bay usually looks for in a cornerback, only coming in at 5’9″, but he plays much bigger. And Mercedes Instagram? It totally turned into a hype machine for all the Bucs’ picks now. Let’s see if their draft haul can actually help Tampa Bay flip their luck.