The 2024 NFL draft landed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a handful of talented prospects who should all have the opportunity to make the roster and have an impact on the team this season, but one pick in particular could be the biggest gem of the class.
Doug Farrar at Touchdown Wire recently made his selections for each NFL team’s biggest sleeper pick in this year’s draft, and running back Bucky Irving was his choice for the Bucs.
A fourth-round pick out of Oregon, Irving is expected to be Tampa Bay’s new change-of-pace back to spell starter Rachaad White, and Farrar thinks the Bucs landed a bargain with what he brings to the table:
Last season, the 5-foot-9, 192-pound Irving ran the ball 186 times, gaining 1.192 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns. Irving may be short, but he’s not small — he forced 69 missed tackles last season, and that was just as much about power as it was about elusiveness. He also had 18 runs of 15-plus yards for 470 yards. In addition, Irving caught 55 passes on 61 targets for 395 yards and two touchdowns, so he can be deployed in a lot of different ways.
While many expected the Bucs to target a bigger, more powerful back in the draft to pair with White, Irving’s ability to make defenders miss in multiple ways could end up having a similar impact, despite his smaller frame.
Even if White maintains his hold on the lion’s share of the touches in Tampa Bay’s offense, Irving could still make a big impact as a rookie by making the most of his opportunities on all three downs.
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