Tampa Bay’s first pick in Day three of the 2024 NFL Draft addresses the need for more competition in the backfield, as the 125th selection was used on “quick and explosive Oregon running back Bucky Irving
After Rachaad White led all NFL running backs in offensive snaps in 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wanted to get him some more help in the backfield. They did so on Saturday afternoon by selecting Oregon running back Bucky Irving in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, making him the 125th selection overall.
“I think that was kind of what we were looking for at some point in this draft, to just add to that group and create competition,” said Buccaneers Director of Player Personnel Mike Biehl. “I think Bucky does that.”
While the Buccaneers were addressing the receiver and safety positions late in the third round on Friday night, they thought they might not get a shot at Irving, one of the 30 players they chose to bring in for private visits at the AdventHealth Training Center. However, Irving unexpectedly fell into the fourth round, and the Bucs were pleased both to get a shot at him and at the back’s reaction to waiting until the third day of the draft to get his call from General Manager Jason Licht.
“We thought he might go a little bit earlier,” said Biehl. “He’s a guy we brought in on a ‘Top 30’ visit and spent some time with him. We thought maybe he would be a second-day pick, but he falls to the third day. I think even talking to him, when Jason called him, he had a little bit of a chip on his shoulder, thinking he should have gone earlier. We kind of like that. He’s just another right kind of character guy that we’ve been targeting. He fits that mold.”
Like White, Irving has the well-rounded skill set to play on all three downs and to produce both in the ground game and the aerial attack. He cracked 1,000 rushing yards in each of the last two seasons at Oregon and averaged 6.2 yards per carry during his tenure with the Ducks, while also catching 95 passes for 785 yards. He scored 20 touchdowns on the ground and five more through the air.
