The Bucs wanted a backup working again to separate carries with Rachaad White and located one of many draft’s extra attention-grabbing choices within the type of Oregon’s Bucky Irving, who stands simply 5-foot-9 and weighs 192 kilos.
However Irving, Tampa Bay’s fourth-round choose, performs like a giant again trapped within the physique of a smaller again, and is extremely exhausting to deliver down as a result of his contact steadiness and decided working type.
“We had him in for a go to and he informed us the primary man doesn’t deal with him,” stated Bucs assistant basic supervisor John Spytek. “And I feel that’s what you might be in search of as working backs, particularly once they’re not the largest working backs. It’s no secret that Bucky just isn’t Christian Okoye, so he’s not going to run by individuals’s face on a regular basis.
“However for those who have a look at his manufacturing, whether or not it was at Minnesota or Oregon – he’s six yards a carry. So he’s exhausting to get on the bottom for a person that’s lower than 200 kilos. And once you do hit him, which is tough to do, it’s exhausting to knock him off his ft. He has a variety of qualities that we search for in a working again.”
PFF’s Trevor Sikkema Is A Huge Bucky Irving Fan
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Picture courtesy of Oregon
John Spytek and the Bucs aren’t the one large followers of Bucky Irving’s recreation. Professional Soccer Focus draft analyst Trevor Sikkema, a former Pewter Reporter, completely loves Irving. Sikkema, who’s from Sarasota and grew up following the Bucs, is thrilled to see Irving land in Tampa Bay.
Previous to the 2024 NFL Draft, Sikkema joined the Pewter Report Podcast the place Matt Matera requested him who one in every of his favourite draft prospects was – no matter place. Sikkema instantly talked about the Oregon working again.
“There are a handful of men at a variety of positions the place this query could possibly be answered, however Bucky Irving from the working again place – I actually like Bucky Irving,” Sikkema stated. “I do know he’s smaller. I do know he didn’t check actually nice athletically, however right here’s the factor – we now have two metrics at PFF that I like to lean on that assist separate working backs and ballcarriers from the offensive line in entrance of them. As a result of that’s the age-old query as a result of it’s like, ‘Oh, this man has a variety of dashing yards, a variety of dashing touchdowns, and a wholesome yards-per-carry common.
“Properly, is it simply the offensive line in entrance of him? Was it him? What’s occurring?’ A great way to individualize that – it doesn’t matter what the offensive line is in entrance of him, a superb one or a nasty one – is missed tackles compelled per try as a result of that exhibits anytime you get in a state of affairs the place you’ve gotten the power to make a man miss, are you making a man miss? Bucky Irving’s is extremely excessive.”
Bucs RB Bucky Irving – Picture courtesy of Oregon
Irving ran for 1,180 yards and 11 touchdowns on 186 carries (6.3 avg.) final season for the Geese. In keeping with PFF, Irving produced 69 missed tackles compelled final 12 months at Oregon, which was tied for tenth within the nation.
“After which yards after contact,” Sikkema continued. “So once more, that could possibly be contact behind the road of scrimmage, it could possibly be contact on the line of scrimmage, or it could possibly be contact 5, 10 yards down the sphere. However everytime you get hit, what number of yards do you get after that? And once more, Bucky Irving has a really excessive yards-after-contact per try common. I actually like Bucky Irving so much. That’s somebody who instantly involves thoughts as one in every of ‘my guys’ if you’ll.”
Of Irving’s 1,180 yards final 12 months, 743 of these yards got here after contact, which was the Twenty fourth-most of any working again within the nation. His yards after contact common was 3.99, which ranked twenty third nationally.
Irving was extremely productive at Oregon over the previous two years with a wholesome 6.5 common and back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He additionally led all faculty working backs final 12 months with 56 catches for 413 yards (7.4 avg.) and two receiving touchdowns.
Watch your entire clip of Sikkema discussing Irving previous to the draft on the Pewter Report Podcast by clicking the video under.
