Bucky Irving
{{short description|American football player (born 2002)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Bucky Irving
| currentteam = Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| number = 7
| position = Running back
Kickoff returner
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|8|19}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 10
| weight_lb = 194
| highlights =
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2024)
- Second-team All-Pac-12 (2023)
| high_school = Hillcrest {{nowrap|(Country Club Hills, Illinois)}}
| college = Minnesota (2021)
Oregon (2022–2023)
| draftyear = 2024
| draftround = 4
| draftpick = 125
| pastteams =
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| pfr = IrviBu00
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Rushing yards
| statvalue1 = 1,122
| statlabel2 = Rushing average
| statvalue2 = 5.4
| statlabel3 = Rushing touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 8
| statlabel4 = Receptions
| statvalue4 = 47
| statlabel5 = Receiving yards
| statvalue5 = 392
| statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue6 =
}}
Mar'Keise "Bucky" Irving (born August 19, 2002) is an American professional football running back and kickoff returner for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Oregon Ducks.
Early life
Irving attended Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills, Illinois.{{Cite web |last=Disabato |first=Pat |date=May 14, 2021 |title=‘He checks all the boxes’: Hillcrest’s Mar’Keise Irving, a Minnesota recruit, is the Daily Southtown Football Player of the Year |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/sports/ct-sta-fbl-hill-irving-st-0516-20210514-elpp7zdudvffrjfgiwul7brh54-story.html |access-date=November 13, 2023 |website=Chicago Tribune}} He did not play football his senior year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He finished his high school career with 3,264 rushing yards. Irving committed to the University of Minnesota to play college football.{{Cite web |last=Millar |first=Steve |date=December 16, 2020 |title=A big moment as Hillcrest running back Mar’Keise Irving signs to play football for Minnesota: ‘They’re getting a winner.’ |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/sports/ct-sta-spt-football-hillcrest-minnesota-markeise-irving-st-121720-20201216-nhmpxbpxhjapfoc46abl5tnipa-story.html |access-date=November 13, 2023 |website=Chicago Tribune}}
College career
As a true freshman at Minnesota in 2021, Irving rushed 133 times for 699 yards and four touchdowns.{{Cite web |last=Bertels |first=Kevin |date=April 8, 2022 |title=Mar'Keise Irving, Gophers running back who excelled as freshman, reveals he will transfer |url=https://www.startribune.com/markeise-irving-the-best-left-among-gophers-running-backs-reveals-he-will-transfer/600163462/ |access-date=June 16, 2024 |website=Star Tribune}} After the season he transferred to the University of Oregon.{{Cite web |last=Staley |first=Antwan |date=May 1, 2022 |title=Minnesota running back Mar'Keise Irving will transfer to Oregon |url=https://www.registerguard.com/story/sports/college/football/2022/05/01/oregon-ducks-football-minnesota-running-back-markeise-irving-transfer/65352778007/ |access-date=May 26, 2024 |website=The Register-Guard |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Crepea |first=James |date=May 1, 2022 |title=Former Minnesota running back Mar'Keise Irving commits to transfer to Oregon Ducks |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/2022/05/former-minnesota-running-back-markeise-irving-commits-to-transfer-to-oregon-ducks.html |access-date=2025-04-04 |website=OregonLive}} During his first year at Oregon, Irving totaled 1,357 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns (rushing and receiving). In his second season (2023) Irving had 1,180 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 186 carries. He also caught 56 passes for 413 yards and two more touchdowns. Irving earned Associated Press All-Pac-12 first team, Coaches All-Pac-12 first team, Pro Football Focus All-Pac-12 first team, Phil Steele All-Pac-12 first team and CSC Academic All-America first team. {{cite web | last=Amaranthus | first=Bri | title=Bucky Irving Drafted to Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bucs Got 'A Real One' | website=SI.com| date=2024-04-27 | url=https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/bucky-irving-tampa-bay-buccanneers-real-one-nfl-draft-record | access-date=2025-01-31}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 5
| height in = 9
| weight = 192
| dash = 4.55
| ten split = 1.54
| twenty split = 2.67
| vertical = 31.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 7
| bench = 15
| arm span = 29 1/2
| hand span = 9 1/2
| note = All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/bucky-irving/32004952-5673-1762-cc21-a0207d2553dd |title=Bucky Irving Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=March 12, 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1053285&DraftYear=2024 |title=2024 NFL Draft Scout Bucky Irving College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=March 12, 2024}}{{Cite web |url=https://goducks.com/documents/2024/3/12/2024_Pro_Day_Results.pdf |title=2024 Pro Day Results |website=GoDucks.com |access-date=April 12, 2024}}
}}
Irving was selected in the fourth round with the 125th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2024 NFL draft.{{Cite web |date=April 27, 2024 |title=Bucs Add 'Slippery' Oregon RB Bucky Irving in Fourth Round |url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucky-irving-nfl-draft-rb-oregon-rd-4-pick-125-2024-bucs |access-date=May 26, 2024 |website=Buccaneers.com |language=en-US}}
After beginning the season as the No. 2 back to Rachaad White, Irving's role increased as the season progressed. In Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints, he had 105 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in the 51–27 win.{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints - October 13th, 2024 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202410130nor.htm |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In week 12, against the New York Giants, he had 152 scrimmage yards in the 30–7 win.{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants - November 24th, 2024 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202411240nyg.htm |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In Week 13, he ran for 153 yards and one touchdown, along with three catches for 33 yards in a 26–23 win over the Carolina Panthers, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week.{{cite web|title=Bills QB Josh Allen, Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving highlight Players of the Week|url=https://www.nfl.com/news/players-of-the-week-2024-week-13-josh-allen-bucky-irving|author=Gordon, Grant|website=NFL.com|date=December 4, 2024}} In Week 15 against the Chargers, he had 15 carries for 117 rushing yards in the 40–17 win.{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Chargers - December 15th, 2024 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202412150sdg.htm |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In Week 17 against the Panthers, he had 190 scrimmage yards in the 48–14 win.{{Cite web |title=Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - December 29th, 2024 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202412290tam.htm |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He finished his rookie season with 207 carries for 1,122 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns to go with 47 receptions for 392 receiving yards.{{Cite web |title=Bucky Irving 2024 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/I/IrviBu00/gamelog/2024/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Irving was the first Buccaneers rookie to rush for at least 1,000 yards since Doug Martin in the 2012 season.{{cite web | last=Smith | first=Scott | title=Bucky Irving Joins Bucs' 1,000-Yard Club | website=Buccaneers.com| date=2024-12-29 | url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucky-irving-joins-bucs-1000-yard-club#:~:text=Rookie%20running%20back%20Bucky%20Irving,since%20Doug%20Martin%20in%202012 | access-date=2025-01-31}} In the Buccaneers NFC Wild Card game against the Washington Commanders, Irving rushed for 77 yards and scored a touchdown, setting a franchise record for most rushing yards in a single playoff game by a rookie.{{cite web | last=Samuels | first=Kyron | title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Bucky Irving Ends Rookie Year With Record-Breaking Playoff Game | website=SI.com| date=2025-01-13 | url=https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/tampa-bay-buccaneers-bucky-irving-rookie-record-playoff-washington-commanders-jayden-daniels-oregon-ducks-running-back | access-date=2025-01-31}}
On January 21, 2025, Irving was named to the 2024 PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team.{{cite web | last=Dix | first=Brianna | title=Bucky Irving Named to PFWA All-Rookie Team | website=Buccaneers.com| date=2025-01-21 | url=https://www.buccaneers.com/news/bucky-irving-named-to-pfwa-all-rookie-team-2024 | access-date=2025-01-31}}
NFL career statistics
=Regular season=
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| style="background:#cfecec; width:3em;"|
| Led the league |
| Bold
| Career high |
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Rushing ! colspan="5"| Receiving ! colspan="2"| Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost |
| 2024 || TB
|17 || 3 || 207 || 1,122 || 5.4 || 56 || 8 || 47 || 392 || 8.3 || 42 || 0 || 2 || 1 | |||||||||||||
| colspan="2"|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/I/IrviBu00.htm Career]
!17 | 3 | 207 | 1,122 | 5.4 | 56 | 8 | 47 | 392 | 8.3 | 42 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
=Postseason=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Rushing ! colspan="5"| Receiving ! colspan="2"| Fumbles | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost |
| 2024 || TB
|1 || 1 || 17 || 77 || 4.5 || 19 || 0 || 2 || 6 || 3.0 || 4 || 1 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||
| colspan="2"|[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/I/IrviBu00.htm Career]
!1 | 1 | 17 | 77 | 4.5 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{footballstats|yahoo=40993|espn=4596448|nfl=bucky-irving}}
- [https://www.buccaneers.com/team/players-roster/bucky-irving/ Tampa Bay Buccaneers bio]
- [https://gophersports.com/sports/football/roster/mar-keise-irving/19570 Minnesota Golden Gophers bio]
- [https://goducks.com/sports/football/roster/bucky-irving/12400 Oregon Ducks bio]
{{Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster navbox}}
{{Buccaneers2024DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irving, Bucky}}
Category:Players of American football from Chicago
Category:American football running backs
Category:Minnesota Golden Gophers football players