Former Purdue Star Tyrone Tracy Jr. on Switching From Receiver to Running Back: 'I Bet on Myself'
When Tyrone Tracy Jr.'s career started at Iowa, he was primarily utilized as a wide receiver. When it concluded at Purdue, he had made a permanent switch to running back. That transition set him up to be selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, at least according to Tracy.
Speaking with reporters recently, Tracy was asked if he believes he would've been selected in the NFL Draft if he would have stayed at receiver. The former Boilermaker provided an honest assesment.
"To be honest with you, no," Tracy said. "At receiver, I might have been an average speed receiver, average size receiver. At running back, I'm a fast running back, I'm a big running back, I'm a running back who can catch the ball out of the outfield.
"When you look at how God placed every single thing and allowed my situation to kind of align up, switching to running back from receiver was actually the missing piece to the puzzle."
Tracy proved to be one of the more versatile offensive athletes in the Big Ten over the course of his career. He ended with 1,201 receiving yards, 947 rushing yards and scored 16 total touchdowns.
The 2023 season at Purdue was Tracy's most effective as a running back. He finished the year with 716 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He also had 132 receiving yards and fielded 16 kickoffs for 408 yards and a touchdown.
Without question, Tracy proved himself as a running back while at Purdue. So, why was it so delayed in making the switch from receiver?
"I always knew I wanted to play running back but I never had the opportunity to. The opportunity was at receiver," he said. "At Iowa, we had some great running backs. At Purdue, we had great running backs. So, I just did what the team needed me to do. They needed me to be a receiver, so I went out there and did the best I could."
Ultimately, it was first-year coach Ryan Walters who helped Tracy make the transition from receiver to running back. Before the 2023 season, the Boilermakers switched the senior to a full-time running back, where he thrived.
"He saw when I had the ball in my hands, I could be very explosive," Tracy said of Walters. "(He asked) 'Which is easiest to get you the ball, receiver or running back?' I kinda bet on myself. I knew that I could play running back because I played it my whole life, I just changed to receiver. It was actually easier to transition to running back than it was to go to receiver."
After a solid college career in Iowa City and West Lafayette, Tracy is now looking to make his mark in the NFL and find a roster spot with the Giants. He plans to make the most of the opportunity.
"I'm blessed. I'm grateful," he said. "I've been working for this for 20 years."
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DUSTIN SCHUTTE