If form holds, a lightly regarded rookie running back will be relevant at some point this season – somebody drafted in the later rounds (or not at all). And as things stand, I’m thinking Tyrone Tracy has the best chance of being one of those running backs.
Had you asked me last week, I would have identified Ray Davis or Kimani Vidal. But camp reports suggest Davis thus far hasn’t made much of a claim to be the No. 2 back in Buffalo. With the Chargers, I saw a blurb that Jaret Patterson (you may remember him being a preseason darling with Washington) thus far has been more impressive than Vidal.
With Tracy, on the other hand, he’s getting some first-team reps with the Giants. And that’s a team without a notable starter. They signed Devin Singletary, who played well in the second half of last season after replacing Dameon Pierce, but he’s never been a difference-maker kind of guy. He’s averaged 810 rushing yards in five seasons.
The Giants keep firing later-round picks on running backs, with little to show for it. They picked Gary Brightwell in the sixth round in 2021, and they took Eric Gray in the fifth last year.
With Tracy, he was a wide receiver up until late year. But he’s got a running back’s build – 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds. And I liked the way he played last year at Purdue. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry, which is particularly impressive considering that team went only 4-8. His hands, with the receiver background, are good (he’s caught 76 passes the last four years, with only 2 drops).
Mostly, I like Tracy’s ability to make guys miss. Time and time again, defenders seemingly have him contained, with him consistently generating extra yards. It’s one thing to pile up yards while running through big holes at Alabama or Georgia. Tracy had to work harder for his 6.3 per carry.
His work against Michigan is on YouTube. That, of course, was a dominant defense. In that cut-up, there are about three plays where Tracy gets more than is seemingly there. Fast forward to the 4:35 point, and you’ll see what should be a 3-yard gain turn into a 24-yarder with a cool jump-cut. The video also demonstrates that Tracy might be able to hold up just fine in pass protection.
Granted, it’s early. Too soon to draw any definitive conclusions. But it’s looking to me like Tracy probably will be New York’s second-string running back on opening day. And with Singletary not seemingly like the kind of guy who’ll be going the distance, I think that means we’ll see Tracy starting at least some games.
Below see the rundown of lightly regarded rookie running backs in the last 10 years who’ve been able to make an impact in their first season. To qualify for this list, a player must have been picked after the third round. (Of the 36 players listed, 11 weren’t even drafted).
In the last 10 years, I see 14 such players finishing with top-30 numbers (using PPR scoring). And another 22 who at least posted top-50 numbers. Tracy to me seems to me to have a good chance of winding up someone on this list. Looks like a guy who should be drafted in the later rounds.
| BEST UNHERALDED RUNNING BACKS (last 10 years) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Rd | GS | Rushing | Receiving | PPR | Rk |
| 2020 | James Robinson, Jac. | FA | 14 | 240-1070-7 | 49-344-3 | 252.4 | 7 |
| 2016 | Jordan Howard, Chi. | 5 | 13 | 252-1313-6 | 29-298-1 | 232.1 | 10 |
| 2018 | Phillip Lindsay, Den. | FA | 8 | 192-1037-9 | 35-241-1 | 222.8 | 13 |
| 2022 | Dameon Pierce, Hou. | 4 | 13 | 220-939-4 | 30-165-1 | 170.4 | 25 |
| 2021 | Elijah Mitchell, S.F. | 6 | 10 | 207-963-5 | 19-137-1 | 165.0 | 26 |
| 2014 | Branden Oliver, S.D. | FA | 7 | 160-582-3 | 36-271-1 | 145.3 | 26 |
| 2014 | Andre Williams, NYG | 4 | 7 | 217-721-7 | 18-130-0 | 145.1 | 27 |
| 2018 | Nyheim Hines, Ind. | 4 | 4 | 85-314-2 | 63-425-2 | 160.9 | 28 |
| 2017 | Tarik Cohen, Chi. | 4 | 4 | 87-370-2 | 53-353-1 | 154.4 | 28 |
| 2021 | Michael Carter, NYJ | 4 | 11 | 147-639-4 | 36-325-0 | 156.4 | 29 |
| 2015 | Javorius Allen, Balt. | 4 | 6 | 137-514-1 | 45-353-2 | 149.7 | 29 |
| 2016 | Devontae Booker, Den. | 4 | 6 | 174-612-4 | 31-265-1 | 148.7 | 29 |
| 2022 | Tyler Allgeier, Atl. | 5 | 7 | 210-1035-3 | 16-139-1 | 159.4 | 30 |
| 2015 | Jeremy Langford, Chi. | 4 | 2 | 148-537-6 | 22-279-1 | 147.6 | 30 |
| 2014 | Isaiah Crowell, Cle. | FA | 4 | 148-607-8 | 9-87-0 | 126.4 | 33 |
| 2017 | Jamaal Williams, G.B. | 4 | 7 | 153-556-4 | 25-262-2 | 142.8 | 34 |
| 2021 | Chuba Hubbard, Car. | 4 | 10 | 172-612-5 | 25-174-1 | 139.6 | 36 |
| 2022 | Isiah Pacheco, K.C. | 7 | 11 | 170-830-5 | 13-130-0 | 139.0 | 37 |
| 2015 | Thomas Rawls, Sea. | FA | 7 | 147-830-4 | 9-76-1 | 129.6 | 37 |
| 2016 | Robert Kelley, Was. | FA | 9 | 168-704-6 | 12-82-1 | 132.6 | 38 |
| 2015 | Karlos Williams, Buff. | 5 | 3 | 93-517-7 | 11-96-2 | 126.3 | 38 |
| 2021 | Kenneth Gainwell, Phil. | 5 | 1 | 68-291-5 | 33-253-1 | 125.4 | 40 |
| 2016 | Jalen Richard, Oak. | FA | 0 | 83-491-1 | 29-194-2 | 115.5 | 42 |
| 2017 | Samaje Perine, Was. | 4 | 8 | 175-603-1 | 22-182-1 | 112.5 | 43 |
| 2017 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | FA | 0 | 47-260-2 | 27-279-3 | 110.9 | 44 |
| 2017 | Wayne Gallman, NYG | 4 | 1 | 111-476-0 | 34-193-1 | 106.9 | 46 |
| 2023 | Jaleel McLaughlin, Den. | FA | 3 | 76-410-1 | 31-160-2 | 106.0 | 46 |
| 2014 | Alfred Blue, Hou. | 6 | 3 | 169-528-2 | 15-113-1 | 97.1 | 46 |
| 2021 | Rhamondre Stevenson, N.E. | 4 | 2 | 133-606-5 | 14-123-0 | 116.9 | 47 |
| 2017 | Matt Breida, S.F. | FA | 0 | 105-465-2 | 21-180-1 | 103.5 | 47 |
| 2016 | Kenneth Dixon, Balt. | 4 | 0 | 88-382-2 | 30-162-1 | 102.4 | 47 |
| 2023 | Roschon Johnson, Chi. | 4 | 0 | 81-352-2 | 34-209-0 | 102.1 | 47 |
| 2022 | Jaylen Warren, Pitt. | FA | 0 | 77-379-1 | 28-214-0 | 93.3 | 47 |
| 2017 | Marlon Mack, Ind. | 4 | 0 | 93-358-3 | 21-225-1 | 103.3 | 48 |
| 2014 | Devonta Freeman, Atl. | 4 | 0 | 65-248-1 | 30-225-1 | 89.3 | 49 |
| 2018 | Ito Smith, Atl. | 4 | 0 | 90-315-4 | 27-152-0 | 97.7 | 50 |
—Ian Allan