Alright, let’s go back on last week’s plane. Draft night just hit the climax, Tampa’s on the clock at pick 19, and the war room isn’t looking to play games. Phones buzzing, GM Jason Licht locked in like he’s playin’ chess with fate, and meanwhile, Baker Mayfield chilling with a smirk, probably whispering, “Y’all better not fumble this.” Then BOOM—the Bucs snatch up Ohio State wideout Emeka Egbuka. No trade. No funny business. Just a cold-blooded pick. But here’s the twist—Jason Licht ain’t just sold on talent. Man dropped a bombshell on live TV that gave Baker all the reasons to dance.

So here’s how it went down. On April 30, Jason Licht hopped on The Rich Eisen Show and spilled the straight truth about Emeka’s draft selection: Emeka was so high on their board, he was low-key untouchable. “There was a group of players that we talked about that we thought could be there at 19. Emeka was one of them. And we had made the decision that no matter how many of that group of players we coveted at that pick, if Emeka was one of them and he was there, we weren’t going to move back. We were just going to take him.” Licht said. No bluff. No poker face. They knew what time it was. Licht wasn’t trying to get cute and risk another team playing swiper no swiping. “We just turned the card in,” he shrugged.

Then Rich—being Rich—hit him with the double-down. Why THIS Ohio State Guy? Why not Michigan prospect? Out of all the prospects? Licht didn’t flinch and gave big flowers to Emeka Egbuka: “Great player. He was super high on our board—top 10 on our board. Kind of stood out like a sore thumb. Unbelievable character, football character—the type of guy that we look for.”

“He epitomizes the type of player that we want in our locker room, that would fit in with our locker room. And we have a great group of guys—never been better. And to be honest with you, I’ve had too many Michigan people over the years. We finally got rid of Brady… We had to sign Ben Bredeson back because we needed—you know, he’s a good player—but I needed to offset that with an Ohio State player.” 

And Baker? Man, he loved that 19th overall pick. Licht joked, “Very, very excited—for players like Baker. Especially, well, Baker himself, he can never have too many receivers. Wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s up in my office next week saying we need to, you know, trade for another big-time player.”

But Baker knows what’s up. Emeka Egbuka brings that polished route-running, soft hands, and big-game vibe. The 6’1 wideout balled out in 2022 with 1,151 yards and 10 TDs. Even when injuries slowed him in 2023, his tape stayed solid. Fast forward to 2024? Egbuka helped the Buckeyes snag a natty, racking up over 1,000 yards again. Big body, reliable, and clean separation? That’s Baker’s new best friend. The Bucs didn’t just draft a WR—they drafted insurance. Insurance for Baker, for that Mike Evans, and that wideout room, and for the future.

Deion Sanders appreciates Jason Licht and Todd Bowles for giving fair shot to Shilo Sanders

Now, while the Emeka pick had the internet buzzing, there was another move Tampa made that had Prime Time himself dialing up late night. Undrafted free agent safety Shilo Sanders, fresh off Colorado and fresh outta headlines behind his bro Shedeur, just caught a lifeline straight from Tampa Bay. And guess who pulled the trigger? Yup—Jason Licht and Todd Bowles.

“We’ve talked about [Shilo] quite a bit in the process,” Licht told WDAE radio, laying out how the Bucs didn’t just trip into this. This wasn’t any charity case. They’d been watching. When Drew Rosenhaus hit them up Saturday, asking if the Bucs would take Shilo in as a UDFA. Licht and Bowles didn’t even blink. “We instantly decided to do it,” Licht said. Then… ring ring… it’s Coach Prime.

“Coach Prime called him [Todd Bowles] Saturday night and thanked him for giving [Shilo] a fair shot,” Licht revealed. That’s heavy. Deion Sanders, a man who don’t throw compliments to GMs and HCs unless they’re earned, straight up tipped his hat. But here’s what makes this spicy—Deion got reach. You mess around and don’t give his son a legit shot? You might catch a subtweet, a full-blown interview diss, and a viral clip before your morning coffee hits.

Shilo, for real, flew under the radar during the draft circus. While Shedeur got all the spotlight and clowning, Shilo kept it low-key. But he ain’t no scrub. Solid instincts, rangy safety, and brings that heat in the box. Now he’s got a real shot in Tampa where the safety room ain’t even that deep. All he needs is one preseason highlight, and we might see a depth chart shakeup.

It’s rare when a GM wins both the big splash pick and the low-key chess move in one draft cycle. Jason Licht just might’ve pulled it off. Between Emeka Egbuka giving Baker Mayfield a new weapon and Shilo Sanders getting a real lane to prove he belongs, Tampa’s draft moves got folks talking. And they should be.

Deion is not going to co-sign just anybody. So if he’s shouting out Licht and Bowles for keeping it 100? Best believe Shilo is going to get a real shot, and best believe Tampa’s front office just added some serious karma to their offseason. Baker’s smiling. Deion’s nodding. And Tampa? They just might’ve quietly had one of the most surgical drafts in the league.