Bucky Irving is having a stellar rookie season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is a big reason why the team is challenging for a playoff spot.
Selected with the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Oregon product has been more than a surprise for the Buccaneers, he has become a key playmaker on offense. On pace for a 1,000-yard season, Irving has showcased his pre-draft strengths as a powerful back who can run through defenders with a downhill style that can move the chains and milk the clock.
Irving also has provided a quick outlet for Baker Mayfield with his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. With 852 yards rushing on 152 carries and 6 rushing touchdowns, the Buccaneers rookie has not only been the best rookie running back in the NFL, he’s among the league’s elite.
Buccaneers have a mid-round gem in Bucky Irving
In his Week 16 RB index, former NFL star and current NFL.com analyst Maurice Jones-Drew has Irving breaking the top 10 due to his ability to run over opposing defenses and help his team dominate time possession.
Jones-Drew writes:
“Irving absolutely ran over the Chargers to the tune of 117 rush yards in Sunday's road win -- 98 of which came in the second half. His presence over the final two quarters helped the Bucs win the time of possession battle by more than 13 minutes. Irving, who has had two 100-yard rushing games since the Week 11 bye, has the most scrimmage yards (1,148) by a Bucs rookie since Doug Martin in 2012.”
To add, Irving was also not 100 percent with that performance as he was nursing a hip injury leading into the showdown with the Chargers. In rushing for 117 yards in that game, he had a game-changing 54-yard run in the middle of the third quarter that showcased his blend of power, speed and breakaway skill that shifted momentum for the Buccaneers in a game that went from a 17-10 deficit to a 40-17 win by the Buccaneers.
In all, an outstanding rookie performance for a player who has made Mayfield and the Buccaneers a more versatile offense. They are a team that can do it through the air and now a team that can play power football with Irving leading the way. If not for the outstanding seasons of Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels and Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix, Irving would be a leading candidate for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. That is saying a lot for a fourth-round pick who is stampeding his value week-to-week in the NFL.