Rookie Spotlight: Tyrone Tracy Jr., Purdue
Height: 5’ 11”
Weight: 209 lbs
Hands: 9 1/8” (official)
Arm: 31’ 6/8 (official)
40 yard dash: 4.48 (official)
2024 Age: 25
NFL Comparison: Rachaad White, Evan Hull

Pros
Former wide receiver
Light on his feet
Good vision
Strong downhill runner
Elusive with jump cuts
Effective between the tackles
Excellent long speed
Kick return capabilities

Cons
Already 24, will turn 25 as a rookie
Lean frame
Upright runner
Not very productive
Never had more than 848 total scrimmage yards in college

Scouting Notes:
Tracy is a smooth gliding runner out of the backfield. His in between the tackles prowess is his greatest strength it seems, as he is able to navigate his lanes with ease. An upright runner, Tracy mitigates this by getting the most out of his runs with through sharp vision and a cutback that can make even nimble defenders miss. Tracy possesses more than capable longspeed, he ran a 4.48 forty, but he doesn’t display it as often as I’d like to see on the field. He does finish his runs with vigor though, making the most of his efforts – He finished his final season with a 6.3 YPA average. As a receiver, Tracy is legit. He played receiver before moving to running back, four seasons at Iowa, so he knows his way around the route tree and his hands are sticky. In addition to having a past as a receiver, Tracy has experience as a kick returner as well. Tracy is as well rounded a back as you’ll find in the draft, and should he have played more than 2 seasons as a back, he probably would have been more highly touted going into the draft.

Fantasy Outlook:
Tracy’s impressive Combine performance put his speed and agility on display, enough so that he should get a boost pre-draft. Running backs are rarely premium options in the draft these days, so I would be surprised to see Tracy go before the 3rd round. That being said, I think he has all the tools to get into the field early and often in the NFL. The one question will be whether he has the physical fortitude to become a 3-down back. It’s most likely he begins his career in a backup role, but I could see Tracy becoming a valuable asset in fantasy and otherwise in due time.