Key Takeaways:
– The New York Giants may have found Saquon Barkley’s potential replacement in Tyrone Tracy Jr., a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
– Experts believe that Tracy could deliver a “Tony Pollard-like” impact on the Giants.
– As a former wide receiver for Purdue, Tracy could effectively fill the gap left by Barkley.
– Tracy’s versatility and explosive play could be a boost for the Giants that lack experience behind Devin Singletary.
In-Depth Analysis of Tracy’s Potential Impact on Giants
Following Saquon Barkley’s departure, the New York Giants have potentially found a new crucial player in the late rounds of the 2024 NFL draft. Fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr. has been suggested as the Giants’ most promising sleeper pick and someone who could shake up the team significantly, potentially even emulating the impact made by the Tennessee Titans’ running back and ex-Dallas Cowboys star, Tony Pollard.
This assumption is championed by The 33rd Team’s Marcus Mosher, who predicts Tracy will carve out a role for himself right from the get-go. Despite the Giants’ recent free agency signing of Devin Singletary, Mosher asserts that Tracy’s potential as an explosive running back could significantly enhance Giants’ offensive prowess.
An Adept Replacement for Barkley?
Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar shares Mosher’s optimism about Tracy as a promising fixture in Giants’ roster. Singling out Tracy as this draft class’s “true sleeper,” Farrar believes the Purdue star could seize opportunities beyond the preseason owing to Barkley’s exit and relatively “meh” running back rotation.
What adds robustness to this prediction is the parallels drawn between Tracy and Pollard who both transitioned from wide receivers to running backs and exhibited competency in making this switch. Tracy’s receiver skills, sharpened during his time at Purdue, resulted in 47 receptions in two seasons, proving his capability of turning short catches into longer gains, reminiscent of Pollard’s skills.
Tracy: Giants’ Answer for Bigger Plays
Tracy’s seamless crossover abilities and swift playing style could potentially increase what Giants yield from their running game. As soon as he transitioned into a running back, Tracy demonstrated an unmistakable knack for producing bigger plays. According to Mosher, “In his first year playing the position, Tracy led the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.3) and scored eight rushing touchdowns.”
Tracy’s remarkable stats in the running game recall Pollard’s impressive average of 4.8 yards per carry. Evidence of Tracy’s similar potency is in the vast number of forced missed tackles and first-downs he achieved on only 114 carries, a testament to his ability to bring about significant change in Giants’ ground game.
Will the Giants Capitalize on Tracy’s Talents?
However, Tracy’s potential as a transformative player for the Giants highly depends on how well the team’s coaches manage to utilize his wide-ranging skills. Given their current line-up, the Giants’ could leverage Tracy’s dynamism to complement Devin Singletary’s style and also fill the experience void behind their lead runner.
Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will need to devise strategies to unleash Tracy’s potential as a versatile back with sudden strike abilities. If Tracy receives proper nurturing and can bring his explosive college game to tackle the professional NFL arena, the Giants might have found their version of Tony Pollard to help soften the blow of Barkley’s departure.