Tampa Bay Running Back Bucky Irving Snubbed? Ranking Best Young NFL Talent

In a breakout NFL rookie season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, former Oregon Duck Bucky Irving surpassed starter Rachaad White to win the job as the Buccaneers' No. 1 running back. Breaking away from a likely special teams-specific role, Irving turned around the worst team in the league for rushing offense and brought a fire back to Tampa Bay's ground game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Running Back Bucky Irving Snubbed? Ranking Best Young NFL Talent | Oregon Ducks on SI

Irving's impact is one of many reasons why Duck fans and Buccaneers fans alike are wondering why the young back wasn't named to the Pro Football Focus' Top 25 Players Under 25 List.

Running backs Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons, Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions, and De'Von Achane of the Miami Dolphins all received nods on the list before Irving.

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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When it comes to numbers, it makes sense why Robinson and Gibbs both bested the 22-year-old Irving. Both Gibbs and Robinson surpassed 1,400 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Irving put up a still impressive 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season with the Buccaneers.

However, Achane had yet to hit above the 1,000 yard mark. Though some may argue Achane's lack of reaching that level of yardage is due to sharing his reps, Irving had to do the same with White, which led to the rookie becoming the top back for Tampa Bay.

And with White seemingly not on the trade radar this off-season, Irving will likely have to compete for reps again, which is something he's expressed he isn't afraid of.

Dec 29, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Carolina Panthers in the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

“I had three good running backs in Oregon, and we always used to rotate, and we pretty much, just going to the game, and like whenever your opportunity [comes] you just got to go out there and compete,” Irving said to Kay Adams on a recent episode of the Up and Adams Show. “It’s not, ‘Oh, he starts’ or ‘He starts.’ It’s not like that."

“You have to go out there and compete with your brother," Irving continued with Adams.

Irving's impact with the Buccaneers in his rookie season has made such a splash, that during an interview with Las Vegas Raiders' general manager John Spytk on the NFL Spotlight Podcast with Ari Meirov, Spytk brought up Irving as an example for a player he wanted to see emulated by the Raiders' new draft pick, former Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.

"I always think of running backs like Bucky Irving last year — the first man can’t tackle me. Bucky proved that. And Ashton has great feet, great vision, and he’s a nightmare to tackle in the open field for linebackerss and defensive backs," Spytek said. "And when you come up 31 yards short of Barry Sanders? You’ve got my attention. We want to be a physical and violent football team."

Jan 12, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) hands off to running back Bucky Irving (7) during the first quarter of a NFC wild card playoff against the Washington Commanders at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

So Irving may have been a snub on the latest Pro Football Focus Top 25 Players Under 25 List, but he'll likely make an appearance in the next three years to come given his current career trajectory off a major rookie season.

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