After two successful NFL Draft classes, the New York Giants have quietly built a solid young foundation of talent for their roster.
Among those standout selections from their recent drafts is 2024 fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr. The former Purdue product emerged as the Giants’ starting running back only five weeks into his NFL career.
Now entering his second season, Tracy seems primed for a breakout — but has received surprisingly minimal buzz this offseason, largely due to the excitement surrounding the team’s newest addition at the running back position.
The Giants added more talent to their backfield
Giants fans are ecstatic over the team’s 2025 fourth-round draft choice: former Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo.
Cam Skattebo, Giants
Credit: Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Skattebo was a certified steal in the fourth round of the draft after being widely viewed as a Day 2 prospect throughout the pre-draft process. The explosive bruiser totaled a ridiculous 1,711 yards and 21 touchdowns rushing last season.
Fans have every right to be excited about Skattebo’s potential in the Giants’ offense. However, that shouldn’t overshadow Tracy’s potential to explode this season.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. could break out in 2025
What Tracy did as a rookie last season should not be overlooked. Despite not taking over the starting job until Week 5, Tracy still managed to total 1,123 yards from scrimmage as a rookie (839 rushing, 284 receiving).
During his collegiate career, Tracy was explosive. He forced 46 missed tackles on just 132 touches in his final season at Purdue. That tackle-breaking ability was on display during his rookie campaign as well.
Oct 28, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) tackles New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
However, Tracy was not as impactful as a receiving threat in his rookie season as projected. He was a wide receiver first in college, before transitioning to running back in his final collegiate season. Despite this, Tracy had some drops and some missteps as a receiver out of the backfield.
With Russell Wilson stepping in to upgrade the Giants’ quarterback room, Tracy could see an increase in production as a receiver. Wilson has typically given a fair share of targets to his running backs throughout his career, giving Tracy an opportunity to improve in that regard.
The Giants’ new running back duo of Tracy and Skattebo can be dynamic. But one should not overshadow the other. The presence of each will benefit the other as both rushers keep their legs fresh and take the field with matchup advantages.
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