2021 WR Emeka Egbuka A "Special" Prospect

Reggie Jones can sum up Emeka Egbuka‍ simply.

“Emeka is special,” the Founder/CEO of Heir Football Academy says of the 2021 Washington wide receiver.

“I’ve had him since eighth grade and in eighth grade, I was telling people, ‘This kid is going to be the top recruit in the country.’”

Egbuka certainly seems well on his way to being in that conversation. The Steilacoom High School star already has dozens of offers from schools like Notre Dame, Washington, Oregon, Stanford, USC, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Florida State and Tennessee among others.

Egbuka will be at Notre Dame on Thursday along with Jones and fellow Heir Academy athletes Kasen Kinchen and Donovan Clark.

Jones said the first things he saw with Egbuka was his size and work ethic.

“Now you watch him and he’s really filling out,” says Jones. “He’s all of 6-1 and they weighed him at 189 at UW, so he’s 190, but solid. His speed and his ball skills are exceptional. I think his ball skills are what makes him the elite of the elite. You put that ball in the air and he’s going up and getting it wherever it’s at.”

Jones, who spent time in the NFL as a cornerback with the Saints, Redskins and Vikings, says Egbuka could play running back, safety or even cornerback at the next level, but believes his future is at wide receiver.

“He’s one of those athletes that doesn’t come around very often,” he says. “I think he’s going to make his mark as a receiver because his route-running ability is far beyond his years.

“I played for a while myself in The League, just seeing him and where he’s at, his understanding of spacing and understanding of getting in and out of the break and how to use his body and position it, I think he’s going to excel at the receiving position at the next level.”

Off the field, Jones says Egbuka can be quiet, but is pretty funny once you get to know him.

“You start to see the quirky sophomore,” says Jones. “He’s cracking little jokes...but when you look at his physical frame, you’re like, ‘This kid is a man.’ He’s a humble young man, he’s well-spoken.

“Grades are extremely important to him and his family. He’s very high on his academics. I don’t see that ever slipping. He’s a hard worker. He’s first one in, last one out type of guy. He’s learning how to be a leader, even amongst our 7-on-7 team, so he can take that back to his high school football team.”

According to Jones, Egbuka is also learning what it means to be “The Man.”

“Understanding when people need a spark, you’re the one they’re going to look to,” he says.

Jones says Egbuka is in the early part of researching his growing list of options.

“Emeka is going down the list right now, looking at these top programs and filtering out where he wants to go when it comes down to his five to take his officials and know, ‘I want to take a look at this school more in-depth,’” says Jones.

And South Bend was an easy choice for the itinerary, according to Jones.

“Notre Dame is a place that you have to go. If you’re a big-time recruit, you’ve got to go check that place out.”