Undersized Bucs rookie Bucky Irving looks to make big impact in run game

National Football League

Updated May. 13, 2024 8:29 a.m. ET

Bucky Irving wants to be underestimated.

The Bucs’ fourth-round draft pick, a running back from Oregon, is listed at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, which has him measuring close to a pair of Pro Bowl backs last season in the Bills‘ James Cook (5-11, 190) and the Rams‘ Kyren Williams (5-9, 194).

And while Irving put up great numbers in college, rushing for 1,180 yards and 11 touchdowns last year with the Ducks, there is inevitably concern about his size and whether it will limit him at the next level.

“WEAKNESSES: Undersized with a smallish frame and minimal growth potential,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote in his draft preview, later calling Irving “undersized and underpowered.”

And every time he hears that, Irving adds to a growing motivation to outperform such caveats.

“I play with a chip on my shoulder, because everyone talks about my size and how small I am,” he said Friday on the first day of Bucs rookie minicamp. “So when I’ve got the ball in my hands, I’m just trying to not let the first man bring me down, and just run hard. … I want to have fun out there, making people miss, making them look silly.”

Tampa Bay has had the NFL’s worst run game in each of the past two seasons, ranking not only last in rushing yards but last in yards per attempt. Improving the running game is a major push for new offensive coordinator Liam Coen, and coach Todd Bowles said Irving’s elusiveness is something that helps him pair well with returning starter Rachaad White.

“He can stick his foot in the ground and run the ball, but more importantly, he can make the first guy miss, more often than not,” Bowles said of Irving. “That’s a rare trait to have in this ballgame, especially when you know so many guys can tackle well and get to the ball real fast. To make the first guy miss and potentially have big-play ability is something we didn’t have a lot of last year.”

Irving’s given name is Mar’Keise, but his father called him Bucky because he had buck teeth when he was little. Proudly flashing a perfect smile at reporters Friday, he said everyone has called him Bucky for as long as he can remember. After wearing No. 0 for the Ducks, he’ll wear No. 7 for the Bucs. The last Tampa back to wear that number, Leonard Fournette, got his share of grief for weighing too much rather than too little.

The Bucs knew exactly how big Irving was or wasn’t when they drafted him, but they saw his consistent production, first in a season at Minnesota, then in two years at Oregon, averaging 6.2 yards per carry over his college career.

Bucky Irving rushes for a tough 19-yard TD vs. USC

“There’s no secret here that Bucky, he’s not Christian Okoye,” said Bucs assistant general manager John Spytek, recalling the 253-pound former Chiefs running back. “He’s not going to run through people’s face all the time. You look at his production, whether it was at Minnesota or Oregon, he’s six yards a carry. He’s hard to get on the ground, and for a man that’s less than 200 pounds, when you do hit him, which is hard to do, he’s hard to knock off his feet. He has a lot of qualities we look for in a running back.”

Irving’s biggest impact with the Bucs is likely to be in the running game, but he also led all FBS running backs with 56 receptions last year at Oregon, so much like White, he’ll be able to motion out to receiver or catch passes out of the backfield. Another area where Irving might help is the NFL’s new kickoff return, which now has opponents and blockers lined up closer to the returner but unable to move until the kick is caught, setting up a new role for shifty, elusive types like him.

“I think when you’re back there on kickoff return, you’ve got to have vision, and you can’t be scared to hit it,” Irving said. “You’re going to take a shot, but you’ve got to just go on that and do your thing.”

Bucky Irving was among Joel Klatt’s top backs ahead of the draft

Irving was one of the first Bucs draft picks to sign his rookie contract, one more thing out of the way so he can focus on learning his playbook and making a strong first impression on new coaches and teammates. Much like former OC Dave Canales a year ago, Coen wants the Bucs to assert themselves on the ground, seeking an offensive balance that has long been lacking in Tampa Bay. That could get a big push from Irving, who wants to be measured by his impact.

“In our offense, in our DNA, we start with the run first,” he said. “So I know coming out of the gate that I’m the first person touching the ball, so I’ve got to set the tone for the guys around me. I’m not really a guy that’s loud and rowdy. I’m kind of quiet, chill and laid-back, but I let my pads really go and I go out there and work hard.”

Greg Auman is FOX Sports’ NFC South reporter, covering the Buccaneers, Falcons, Panthers and Saints. He is in his 10th season covering the Bucs and the NFL full-time, having spent time at the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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