To kick off Day 3 of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bucs used the No. 125 overall pick to add some much-needed depth to their backfield with the selection of Oregon running back Bucky Irving.

Oregon RB Bucky Irving – Photo courtesy of Oregon

Irving started his college career at Minnesota, rushing 133 times for 699 yards (5.3 avg.) and four touchdowns as a freshman. He also added eight catches for 73 yards (9.1 avg.) and another touchdown. In 2022, he transferred to Oregon and quickly established himself as a production machine.

As a sophomore, he ran 156 times for 1,058 yards (6.8 avg.) and five touchdowns while catching 31 passes for 299 yards (9.6 avg.) and three more scores.

Irving then followed up his big sophomore season with another 1,000-yard campaign in 2023. He had 186 carries for 1,180 yards (6.3 avg.) and 11 touchdowns while catching another 56 passes for 413 yards (7.4 avg.) and two touchdowns.

What Kind Of Running Back Is Bucky Irving?

Irving was one of the smaller running backs in the 2024 Draft, as he’s just 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds. Still, his production and tape don’t lie and he was one of the more effective pass-catching running backs in this class. He has reliable hands and a talented ability to work in space after the catch. Last season, he led all FBS running backs in receptions with 56.

At his size, his 4.55-second 40-yard dash is a concern, but he plays faster than he times. The 21-year-old is explosive in space with great burst and good feel for corrupting defensive angles. Irving’s vision is lacking, but he has surprisingly good contact balance for his size.

Irving has a tendency to unnecessarily slow himself down at the outset of runs, relying too much on his burst to save him. That won’t translate well to the next level. Irving’s best path to success in the NFL would be as a third down receiving back, where his pass-catching skills and willingness as a blocker will help him maximize his strengths and minimize his weaknesses.

Ball security is a huge part of Irving’s game, as he fumbled just one time in 553 offensive touches. He also has experience as a kick returner, so there’s a chance he could contribute to Tampa Bay on special teams, especially with the new kickoff format.

Bucs Add A Complementary Back In Hopes Of Improving Run Game

Oregon RB Bucky Irving – Photo courtesy of Oregon

Bucky Irving joins a Bucs backfield that is led by Rachaad White, who just missed out on a 1,000-yard rushing season in 2023, and rounded out by veteran Chase Edmonds and 2023 undrafted free agent Sean Tucker. White had a great season as an all-purpose back in 2023, but Tampa Bay still had one of the worst and least-productive run games in the NFL for the second straight season.

So, while the Bucs remain confident in White and he will continue to be their lead guy, the addition of Irving could give some new life to the ground game. Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht spoke during the pre-draft process about what has contributed to the lack of production on the ground and mentioned that they were going to work hard at improving that area of their offense this offseason.

“There’s just a lot of variables that led to it,” Licht said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “We need to try to improve on all of those, try to improve on all of those. It’s everything. I think we need to update some personnel possibly or get some more depth or get more rotation. There’s a lot of variables, but trust me, we’re working very hard on trying to improve.”

What’s interesting is that Bucky Irving has drawn comparisons to Rams running back Kyren Williams, who ran for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns last year in a breakout season. Of course, new Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen wasn’t with Los Angeles last season, but he will have worked with Williams when he was a rookie in 2022.