This year’s running back draft class is wide open at the top. There isn’t a clear-cut No. 1, or really even a consensus top three after half of the college football season.
One of the candidates hoping to prove himself in the unorganized pack is Oregon’s Bucky Irving. In the Ducks’ Week 7 loss to Washington, the dynamic Irving made a good case for himself to rise up the draft rankings.
Irving sashayed and powered his way for 127 yards on 22 carries in the epic PAC-12 showdown. He also caught six passes for 34 yards, showing more than just rudimentary passing game skills in the process.
The 5-10 junior from Chicago doesn’t have a lot of size, but Irving has very quick feet and exceptional balance at top speed. The ability to cut sharply and burst out of it was on full display on this rep:
SHEESH Bucky Irving pic.twitter.com/HLRKAtC9UT
— Jake Schyvinck (@JakeNFLDraft) October 14, 2023
Irving lowered the shoulder and finished his runs with as much power as his 195 pounds could generate a few times in this matchup. He’s got more toughness to his game than some recent speedy Ducks RBs who entered the NFL.
