How Giants RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. Can Bolster the Backfield & Return Game

The Giants found their Swiss Army Knife in RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Purdue Boilermakers running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. / Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants added to their running back depth in Round 5 of the NFL Draft with the addition of the Purdue Swiss Army knife Tyrone Tracy Jr. 

#NYGiants select Purdue RB Tyrone Tracy Jr in 5th Round of the #NFLdraft pic.twitter.com/5asFrgUiIm

— Coach Gene Clemons (@geneclemons) April 27, 2024

With the loss of Saquon Barkley to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Giants needed a shifty runner capable of setting up blocks and making defenders whiff on tackle attempts while also being a receiving threat and contributing on special teams.

Tracy has the pedigree to do all that and then some. 

What's to Love?

Tracy brings the versatility that so many coaches and front-office personnel look for in their running backs in today's NFL. 

As a runner, he has great vision and elite lateral explosion, allowing him to set up blocks and make defenders miss in confined spaces. His stride is deceptive, making defenders misjudge pursuit angles and allowing him access to the perimeter on outside runs or when he bounces a play. 

He has a background as a receiver, which makes him an asset in the passing game, not only out of the backfield but also in empty sets or aligned in the slot. 

However, the place where he may provide the most value immediately is in the return game. The new NFL kickoff rule has made kick-returning a valuable resource once again, and Tracy can be an elite-level kickoff returner. 

Think of his returns as running plays where he doesn't have to worry about defensive linemen.

What Needs to Improve?

As explosive and gifted as he is, Tracy does not have much running back experience. He spent five seasons playing wide receiver for the Hawkeyes before transitioning to running back in his final season in 2023. 

Running back is as much about feeling and instinct as form and play calling. Tracy doesn't have the reps to make up for years of not playing the position. 

In this new era of platoons in the backfield he may still not get the requisite carries necessary to make him completely comfortable in the backfield. 

There will be carries that frustrate fans who wonder why he made a particle decision, but they need to remember that his rookie season in the NFL will only be his second full season playing the position. 

How He Fits

Look for the Giants (and every team in the NFL) to weaponize this new kickoff rule. Tracy was a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a return specialist, so he knows how to operate in that space. 

He finished his career with the 11th-best kickoff return average in Purdue history, including a 98-yard touchdown return. 

The Giants' special teams need an injection of explosiveness in the kickoff return game, and he may be the answer. He will also have his chances to make an imprint on offense, and hopefully, his total impact will create a positive outcome like it did during his final season as a Boilermaker. 

His 276 all-purpose yards against Northwestern highlight his potential to affect the game in multiple ways. In conference, he averaged almost 130 all-purpose yards per game. 

Just think: He can offer all of this and is still growing in his role. 

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