Bucky
Irving

A rock-solid back who fights through tackles with extra leg drive, Bucky has speed to boot, helping him go for 1,122 yards as a rookie in 2024. It made him the franchise's first 1,000-yard rusher since Doug Martin in 2012. Irving capped the year by going for 77 yards and a score in the NFC Wild Card round.

Bucky has impressive burst and balance, fueling through defenses with fluid cuts and a relentless style. He displays excellent vision and consistent timing, alerting defenses to manufacture outlets. Irving led all rookie running backs in the third highest yards per carry average (4.8) in the third highest mark for a rookie in FL time.

Irving's first name is Mar'Keise Irving, but he was dubbed "Bucky" at a young age by his father, Marcellus, due to his buck teeth. The name stuck despite the efforts of University of Minnesota coaches, who attempted to call him "Bucko" to distinguish him from rival mascot "Bucky the Badger" of the University of Wisconsin.

A fourth-round pick in 2024, Bucky set the benchmark for first-year tailbacks, churning out 1,122 yards and scoring eight touchdowns. Irving became the first Tampa Bay rookie to top 1,000 yards on the ground since Doug Martin in 2012. In the NFC Wild Card round, he scored a touchdown to go with 77 yards, establishing a franchise rookie record.

While Baker Mayfield's resurgence got much of the press, don't sleep on Irving's role in Tampa Bay's success. The plucky running back was on fire in Week 13 of 2024. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after plowing his way to 152 yards on 25 carries with a score in an overtime win over Carolina.

After averaging 6.2 yards per carry over his first three games, Irving earned an expanded role in Week 4. He made the most of his looks, rushing for 49 yards on 10 attempts and finding the end zone for the first time on a 1-yard pitch in the third quarter to help send the Bucs to a 33-16 win over Philly.

To Irving, his breakout rookie season was no surprise. Why would it be? He laid the groundwork for his 1,122-yard campaign when you weren't looking. "When nobody's watching, I'm always working," he said. The fourth-rounder got back in the lab for Year 2 in 2025. Don't look now, but he never stopped.

Bucky has impressive burst and balance. During through defenses with quick cuts and a relentless fire, he displays excellent vision and consistent finding seams to maximize yardage. In 2024, Irving led all rookies in scrimmage yards, using years and overall touchdowns. His yards-per-carry average was the third highest mark for a rookie in NFL lore.

Bucky is a shifty, fearless runner with tremendous vision and contact balance. Despite his size, he thrives between the tackles and creates explosive plays with his quick cuts and acceleration. Irving's reliability as a receiver and relentless style make him a versatile weapon in the Buccaneers' offense.

Bucky has impressive burst and balance. Bucky thrives through defenses with fluid cutting and a relentless of the. He displays excellent vision and consistent hands. Bucky's per-carry average was the third-highest mark for a rookie in NFL history.

Irving finished the 2024 season with 1,122 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 207 carries. The only two rookie running backs in league history with at least that many totes and a higher average per carry than the fourth-round pick\'s 5.4 were Clinton Portis (5.5 on 273) and Adrian Peterson (5.6 on 238).

Irving topped 10 carries twice in his first nine games, then the Buccaneers ramped up their rookie down the stretch in 2024. He hit double digits seven times in the team's final eight games, and racked up 103 yards. The strong performance featured three 100-yard outings, including a 152-yard effort at Carolina.

Bucky runs like he's powered by joystick glitches. Alow center of gravity, elastic cuts, and instant acceleration make him a nightmare in space. He slips through arm tackles, stacks in moves without slowing and, turns checkdowns into explosives. Irving led all rookies in scrimmage yards, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns during the 2024 season.

Bucky has impressive burst and balance, fueling thoughts of a dynamic tandem with quick, club and relentless, circle. He displays versatility, overcoming tough yards, using his pads-per-carry average near the upper-highest mark in a while in NFL lore.

Bucky runs like the snowed-by low-tick glitches. A low center of gravity, instant acceleration make him a nightmare in space. He slips through arm tackles, stacks and scampers without slowing and turns checkdowns into explosives. Irving led all rookies in scrimmage yards, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns during the 2024 season.

Irving's instincts in his rookie year strongly suggest he's going to make it. In Week 10, he perfectly followed the Bucs' blocking and hit the holes, then scampered untouched for one of the easiest-looking 12-yard TDs you'll ever see. It gave Tampa a fourth-quarter lead in a showdown with San Francisco.