With the No. 125 pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Oregon running back Bucky Irving.
Here is everything you need to know about Irving and his journey to the NFL.
How Tall Is Bucky Irving?
Irving is a smaller back, which is one of the reasons why he slipped to the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Irving’s height (5’9”), arm length (29 1/2”), vertical jump (29.5”), and broad jump (9’7”) all fall below the 20th percentile for the position.
How Much Does Irving Weigh?
Irving weighed in at 192 pounds at the NFL Combine, which puts him at the sixth percentile among running backs. His broken tackle metrics suggest he plays bigger than his listed weight, but the vast majority of sub-200-pound backs face contact balance questions in the NFL, which is why many teams shied away from Irving.
How Old Is Irving?
Irving was born on Aug. 19, 2002, so he is currently 22 years old. He is the seventh-youngest running back in this rookie class, and he’s significantly younger than someone like Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum, who is 24 years old.
What School Did Irving Go To?
After a standout prep career at Hillcrest High School in Illinois, Irving started his collegiate career in the Midwest as a member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2021.
After a productive true freshman campaign, Irving transferred to Oregon and played the final two years of college ball as a member of the Ducks.
Revisiting Irving’s College Career
As previously mentioned, Irving started his collegiate career as a member of the Golden Gophers. He was pressed into significant action during his true freshman season after starting running back Mohamed Ibrahim suffered a serious leg injury.
Irving capitalized on the opportunity by producing 772 total yards from scrimmage along with four scores in 2021.
Despite a successful freshman campaign at Minnesota, Irving elected to transfer to Oregon heading into his sophomore year.
Bucky Irving from Oregon has been selected in the 4th Round becoming the 7th Duck taken in the Draft so far.
Irving had 1,593 yards in 2023 with 13 TD’s.
— WestCoastCFB (@WestCoastCFB) April 27, 2024
This turned out to be a great choice because Irving nearly doubled his production across the board in his first season with the Ducks by generating 1,357 yards from scrimmage and 13 total TDs on 187 total touches in 2022.
Irving built off his stellar first year at Oregon by leading all running backs with 56 receptions to go with 1,593 total yards and 13 TDs in 2023.
Irving’s 40-Yard Dash Time
Irving didn’t test well at the NFL Combine, running the 40-yard dash in just 4.55 seconds. His poor testing, coupled with his lack of size, significantly hurt his draft stock.
However, the Buccaneers weren’t scared off by these numbers. Bucs general manager Jason Licht has pointed out that Irving’s game speed is much faster than his testing speed.
This has been on display early in Irving’s rookie campaign with the Bucs, as he has looked incredibly explosive when the ball has been in his hands.