Big Blue Huddle

https://x.com/BobbySkinner_/status/1784305633765843226

https://x.com/GiantInsider/status/1784304508975136829

Quote from: brownelvis54 on Today at 03:35:02 PM

Why?

Nick Falato
@nickfalato
A
@DanSchneierNFL
 favorite joins the Giants, Purdue RB Tyrone Tracey Jr.

An older prospect (24), a former WR at Iowa who showed impressive RB skills for a player who only played ONE season at the position

He will likely be the kickoff returner for the #Giants with these new rules. Another EXPLOSIVE weapon for Brian Daboll.
3:34 PM · Apr 27, 2024
·
47
 Views

PFF

Tracy spent most of his college football career at wide
receiver but never made the impact he had envisioned. He
has an upright running style but remains balanced on his feet
for yards after contact. He has a make-you-miss running style
due to good elusiveness and one-cut ability. His lack of
experience at running back yields inconsistencies in how he
reads blocks. On third downs, his hands and route running
are impressive. Although he brings good length and a
willingness to pass block, his strength and confidence are
still hit or miss.
PROFILE
• Natural athlete in whatever he's asked to do.
• Upright, tall running style but remains balanced through contact.
• Explosive and fast enough to get to and up the sideline.
• Experienced and talented receiver out of the backfield who can
 run any route.
• Natural make-you-miss type of running style — nicknamed himself
 "Sweet Feet" for that reason.
• Good length but currently lacks strength/confidence in pass
 protection.
• Hands are inconsistent in pass protection.
• Inconsistent vision, which is understandable, given he's played
 RB for one season.

Cosell

TYRONE TRACY'S 2024 NFL COMBINE RESULTS
Height: 5'11 ⅛"
Weight: 209 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.48 seconds
10-yard split: 1.53 seconds
Vertical jump: 40"
Broad jump: 10'4"
20-yard shuttle: 4.06 seconds


TYRONE TRACY 2024 NFL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT
STRENGTHS
Good-sized back with natural quickness and loose hips who shows excellent short-area burst and elusiveness.
Shows excellent patience and vision in gap-scheme run game tempo-ing his path to read offensive line pull and defenses.
Explosive short-area burst through the first level of defense with balance and body control to re-accelerate.
Can stop and start and re-accelerate both inside and on the edge. Doesn't slow down or lose stride on his cuts.
Effective in both zone and gap scheme run games showing one-cut downhill burst, patience and tempo.
Accelerating burst and speed to get to the edge and outflank the defense. Can outrun inside-out pursuit.
Outstanding shiftiness and elusiveness in confined space to make defenders miss and create extra yardage.
High-level one-cut downhill ability with sudden change of direction. Works through small creases at first level.
Makes defenders miss in different ways with multiple moves: lateral quickness, spins, physicality and speed.
Brings pass-receiving dimension out of the backfield with the ability to run intermediate and vertical routes.
Shows willingness and tenacity to step up and pass protect vs. blitzing second- and third-level defenders.


WEAKNESSES
Still learning the running back position given his college background as a receiver. Lacks needed experience.
At times, will look for the bigger play when he needs to attack the line of scrimmage and get the hard yards. Is that lack of experience?
Will need more work in the zone-run game where he has to read blocks, gap fluidity and defensive flow.
Doesn't possess home-run speed — won't run away from the defense when he gets past the third level.

NFL TRANSITION
Tracy was a full-time running back for only one season after spending his first five college seasons primarily as a wide receiver, the position at which he was initially recruited to play at Iowa.

While still learning the running back position, he'd likely make the transition to the next level in much the same way that Alvin Kamara and Jahmyr Gibbs are deployed by their respective teams. While Tracy isn't at the level of either back (Kamara in his prime, Gibbs right now going into his second season with the Detroit Lions), he would profile in an offense as a complementary primary back and multidimensional receiving weapon who can line up in multiple locations within the formation and could be especially effective as a detached receiver given his background.

Given the kind of running back that Tracy is and how he will best make the transition to the next level — assuming he will be deployed that way, which I believe is the most effective means for him to play in the league — there aren't a lot of weaknesses in his game. I could see him fitting well into an NFL offense that features the back in the passing game, especially with formation versatility.

Tracy will only get better as a runner with more experience, but he showed strong traits with his natural quickness and burst and his elusiveness making defenders miss in multiple ways. Perhaps most impressively, he showed more than functional physicality and competitive toughness to finish runs. Overall, Tracy is one of my favorite backs to watch, and I believe he is an ascending talent. I'm looking forward to seeing who drafts him and how he's deployed.

OTHER NOTES
Tracy was initially recruited by Iowa as a receiver and played his first four years there before transferring to Purdue for his final two seasons. In 2019 with the Hawkeyes, he had a 36-589-16.4-3 TD stat line; He made the full-time position switch to running back in 2023 and carried the ball 113 times after having only 33 rushes in his first five college seasons.

He was featured at times on jet sweeps in the Purdue offense, and there's no question Tracy can be deployed in multiple ways in the context of an NFL offense — both in terms of alignment, location and concepts. His 20-yard touchdown vs. Northwestern was a strong snapshot of him as a runner: gap scheme with lateral quickness and contact balance with a darting, slashing feel at the second and third levels of the defense. His 28-yard run vs. Indiana was another strong snapshot: inside lead play with Tracy again showing lateral agility to slide from gap to gap and the contact balance to work through tacklers at the second level.

McGinn


12. TYRONE TRACY, Purdue (5-11, 209, 4.48, 4-5): Started 16 of his 38 games as a wide receiver at Iowa from 2018-'21. Had 36 receptions in 2019. Team captain in '21. Transferred to Purdue in 2022 and was a backup wideout before moving to running back last year and flourishing. "Love him," one scout said. "Change of pace guy. Did really well in his first year really playing running back." Posted 113 of his career total of 146 rushes in 2023 when he led the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.4). Finished with 947 (6.5) and 10 TDs to go with 113 receptions. "Kind of new to the position so he's feeling it out," a second scout said. "His vision keeps him alive. Like a No. 3 running back who contributes on special teams. Not a powerful back but he's grown into that body and stays on his feet and fights for extra yardage. Has enough speed to get outside. Struggled in pass pro." His 3-cone time of 6.81 led the position. From Indianapolis.

NFL.com

By Lance Zierlein
NFL Analyst
Draft Projection
Round 4
NFL Comparison
Bilal Powell
Overview
Tracy was a full-time running back for only one year but had exciting flashes all over his tape. He's a bendy, rhythmic runner who sees and traverses the interior run lanes like he built the maze. He creates additional yardage with a blend of elusiveness, power and a willful desire to maximize each run, but he will need to curb his eagerness to bounce runs wide when it's time to finish and move to the next snap. While he's still honing his skills as a runner, his ability to handle gadget runs and threaten linebackers out of the backfield could get him on the field early on. Tracy will be an older rookie, but his versatility and burgeoning talent as a complementary runner should open evaluators' eyes to what he could become as a pro.

Strengths
Versatility with starting background at receiver and running back.
Loose hips and wide base allow sharp cuts and change of direction.
Glides with consistent pace and processing to find his pathways.
Long strides help him get to the corner on outside runs ahead of pursuit.
Spin moves, jump cuts and contact balance create a high number of yards after contact.
Capable kick returner and cover man on special teams.

Weaknesses
Still learning to run with discipline to the play design.
Needs to balance hero-ball efforts with more focus on moving the run downhill.
Excessive forward lean can lead to some imbalance as a one-cut runner.


Brugler


11. TYRONE TRACY JR. | Purdue 5111 | 209 lbs. | 6SR Indianapolis, Ind. (Decatur Central) 11/23/1999 (age 24.42) #3
BACKGROUND: Tyrone "Tee" Tracy Jr., the second of four boys, was born and raised in the Indianapolis area. His father (Tyrone Sr.) starred at Ben Davis High School
in Indianapolis before a prolific career at Division II Fort Hays State (1986-89), in which he set school records for all-purpose yards in a season and career (he was
inducted into Fort Hays State's Hall of Fame in 2011). Tyrone Tracy Jr. started playing flag football at age 3 and pee-wee tackle football at age 6. He was a multi-sport
athlete throughout childhood, but he shined brightest in basketball and football. Tracy attended Decatur Central High School and saw varsity action as a freshman,
accounting for 960 all-purpose yards as a running back and returner. He became the starting running back as a sophomore and rushed for 1,239 yards and 11
touchdowns, adding 27 receptions for 680 receiving yards.
As a junior, Tracy made more of an impact catching the football (40 receptions for 651 yards and nine touchdowns; 296 rushing yards and four touchdowns). As a
senior captain, he was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana, as well as first team All-County and All-State for the third straight season. Tracy finished his final
season with 1,412 rushing yards, 1,132 receiving yards and 30 total touchdowns (17 receiving, 13 rushing), and he led Decatur Central to a 10-2 mark and undefeated
record in the conference. He set school records for career receiving yards (2,643), receiving touchdowns (33) and total touchdowns (72). Tracy was also a three-year
starting point guard on the Decatur Central basketball team and lettered in track (sprints, relays and jumps). He set personal bests of 6.94 seconds in the 60 meters,
11.31 seconds in the 100, 23.00 seconds in the 200 and 19 feet, 6.5 inches in the long jump.
BACK TO TABLE OF CONTENTS 32
A three-star recruit, Tracy was the No. 31 running back in the 2018 recruiting class and the No. 8 recruit in Indiana. Midway through his sophomore season, in
October 2015, he received his first scholarship offer (Cincinnati). As a junior, Tracy added offe rs from Boston College, Iowa, Louisville, Navy, Northwestern and
Syracuse. He committed to Iowa in April 2017 and ranked as the No. 12 recruit in head coach Kirk Ferentz's 2018 class (center Tyler Linderbaum was No. 1). Although
he signed as a running back, Tracy moved to wide receiver for the Hawkeyes. He was a starter to open the 2021 season, but his snaps fell off a cliff by the end of the
season. Frustrated by his diminished role, Tracy entered the transfer portal in December 2021 and chose Purdue less than a week later. In 2023, he took advantage of
an extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA because of the pandemic and returned to West Lafayette for a sixth season.
Both of his younger brothers play football at Miami (Ohio) — Kenny, who broke several of Tracy's records at Decatur Central, is a rising senior RB; Javon is a rising
sophomore WR. His cousin (Larry III) played DB at Indiana (2019-21) before transferring to Illinois State (2022). His cousin (Miles) played college basketball at Indiana
University South Bend (2018-23). Tracy graduated with his degree in communications (May 2023). He accepted his invitation to the 202 4 Hula Bowl.
YEAR (GP/GS) CAR YDS AVG TD REC YDS AVG TD NOTES
2018: (4/0) 1 -1 -1.0 0 1 22 22.0 0 Iowa; WR; Redshirted; Enrolled in June 2018
2019: (13/8) 6 39 6.5 1 36 589 16.4 3 Iowa; WR
2020: (8/4) 2 22 11.0 0 14 154 11.0 1 Iowa; WR; Pandemic-shortened season
2021: (13/4) 7 33 4.7 1 15 106 7.1 1 Iowa; WR; Team captain
2022: (14/5) 17 138 8.1 0 28 198 7.1 0 Purdue; WR
2023: (11/9) 113 716 6.3 8 19 132 6.9 0 Purdue; RB; Led team in rushing TDs; 98-yard KR TD; Missed one game (injury)
Total: (63/30) 146 947 6.5 10 113 1,201 10.6 5
HT WT HAND ARM WING 40-YD 20-YD 10-YD VJ BJ SS 3C BP
COMBINE 5111 209 9 1/8 31 3/4 76 5/8 4.48 2.62 1.56 40 10'4" 4.06 6.81 - (no bench press — choice)
PRO DAY 5112 209 9 31 1/4 76 3/4 - - - - - - - 20 (bench only; stood on combine — choice)
STRENGTHS: Well-built athlete with above-average speed ... shifty cutting skills to make steep backside cuts and quickly clear the first wave (averaged 4.44 yards after
contact in 2023) ... abruptly adjusts his pacing to shake defenders in space ... has enough run strength to drive through uncommitted tackles ... receiver background
shows when he is targeted out of the backfield ... eager to body up defenders in pass pro and scans quickly to pick up blitzes ... only one career fumble (none in 2023)
... ranked second in the Big Ten in kick-return yardage in 2023, including a 98-yard touchdown return (17/428/1) ... also stood out on kick and punt coverages (six
special-teams tackles) ... led the team with nine total touchdowns in 2023 (eight rushing, one kick return).
WEAKNESSES: Inconsistent anticipating run lanes and eyes get too big for his appetite ... needs to be more efficient pressing and setting up blocks ... overly patient on
some runs, too impatient on others ... momentum occasionally stalls out of his jump cuts and late to hit the gas ... slight hip tightness limits his fluidity out in space ...
guilty of running before securing catches and had a pair of drops (and a few bobbles) on his 2023 tape ... willing as a pass bl ocker but needs to sharpen his technique
... missed the Ohio State game in October 2023 because of injury ... will turn 25 during his rookie season ... spent only one of six college seasons as a running back.
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Purdue, Tracy played a "WideBack" position in offensive coordinator Graham Harrell's scheme, which utilized h is skills as both a
running back and wide receiver. After four seasons as a receiver at Iowa, his versatility as ball carrie r blossomed in West Lafayette, and in 2023 he led the Big Ten in
rushing yards per carry (6.34). Displaying natural instincts with the ball in his hands, Tracy runs with the dynamic agility and elusiveness to slip tackles from different
angles (21.9 percent of his carries in 2023 resulted in a 10-plus-yard run, which ranked top five in the FBS). However, his inexperience at running back shows in his
sporadic tendencies when choosing run lanes. Overall, Tracy needs to improve his decision-making at the line of scrimmage, but he can create with his quick lateral
cuts and contact balance — and he can stay on the field on passing downs. He is a multi-dimensional threat as a rusher, receiver and special teamer, which
increases his chances of commanding an NFL roster spot.
GRADE: 4th Round


Tyrone Tracy, Purdue: A recent convert to the position from wide receiver, Tracy has excellent open-field skills, good
acceleration and speed, and raw power. If he can learn how to work between the tackles, Tracy could develop into a lead
back or high-end contributor in a committee.
Michael Wiley, Arizona: The athletic ability and

Discuss

https://x.com/PLeonardNYDN/status/1784303165178806642

Quote from: TDToomer on Today at 03:19:30 PMOK I'll bite. What's the controversy about this reality show with Rattler?

When he was either in HS or early college, Rattler didn't handle adversity very well.  He was on some sort of reality show, so his reaction was seen by many

https://x.com/MadelynBurke/status/1784291114503094502

Waldman


Elevator Pitch: Johnson is a fast-riser during the pre-draft cycle because of his workouts. He has elite speed, acceleration, and good
change of direction quickness for a tight end with near-prototypical size. Beyond the physical, Johnson's game has promising facets.
Johnson sets up routes well. He's especially good at manipulating defenders during his stems. There's some snap with his breaks and
there's good weight drop with hard breaks on shallow routes.
Johnson also has a wide catch radius and makes good adjustments to targets arriving from a variety of trajectories. He's not always
as explosive as his workouts, but he's fluid and he's effective at catching targets at the earliest point of its trajectory. The greatest
impediment to his consistency as a pass-catcher is his lapses with clap-attacking with targets above his chest.
46
Johnson's fluid athletic ability shows up well post-catch. He alters stride length effectively, precise stop-start movement, and
transitions downhill at the level of a starter.
Johnson has an understanding of when to be patient, decisive, and improvisational as a runner. His pad level, leg strength, and
forearm shiver make him a powerful runner at the point of contact to work through a variety of tackle types. He's not shy about
initiating contact as a finisher with the ball in his hands.
Johnson needs work with his positioning for blocks at the line of scrimmage. In the open field, he can engulf smaller defenders
without as much risk of his positioning biting him.
Although quick enough to move laterally with edge rushers, he's not skilled enough to handle redirects from NFL-caliber edge
defenders. Johnson strikes hard enough that he can regain his footing and follow up with a second hit.
If he misses the initial angle on a defender at the line of scrimmage, he can maintain his hands on the defender. Still, he's not a
great fit for RPOs and screens as a lead blocker right now because he's not playing quick enough to reach linebackers and defensive
backs coming downhill at full speed and their change of direction often proves too formidable.
When he can reach defenders, he can turn them inside or out with the appropriate position on the inside or outside shoulder.
Johnson is at his best as a drive blocker who uppercuts with tight hands and rolls through his hips. If he wasn't forced to overextend
to reach his opponents, he'd have more success against smaller defenders.
The greatest weakness with Johnson's game is translating his athletic ability fully to the field. As explosive as he is for his size,
Johnson looks like a slower, lumbering option against man-to-man coverage, especially against tight coverage. This may have to do
with lacking well-practiced footwork and route strategies for this type of coverage.
If Johnson can develop a similar approach with man-to-man coverage at the line of scrimmage with his athletic ability, look out.
Otherwise, Johnson still has value as a zone/off-coverage option whose speed can earn him vertical targets.
One off-field point worth noting: Johnson earned probation for assault. He punched a fraternity member in the head at a party and
gave the student a concussion.
Where is the player inconsistent? Johnson overextends as a lead blocker or he can't continue to move his feet quickly enough to
remain tight to the defender and it leads to him overextending. As a result, defenders shed him quickly because he's not playing
quick and smaller-quicker athletes can work off his strikes without quickly getting engulfed.
What is the best scheme fit? An inline tight end who is likely to earn free releases and threaten zone coverage with his athletic
ability. This means he'll need to refine his run blocking to reach a starter-level of performance. He's not that far away. With a season
of diligent-intelligent work, he could get there.
What is his ceiling scenario? A productive in-line tight end with big-play potential in the red zone and play-action vertical routes.
What is his floor scenario? A contributor off the bench who can deliver value in offensive sub-packages.
Physical: As much as he brings technical and conceptual elements to his route and receiving game, Johnson requires a lot of space
to build up his speed against man-to-man coverage and it means he doesn't earn separation as easily as one would expect. With
better footwork off the line, Johnson might realize more of his explosion.
Keep in mind that the worst aspect of his physical testing was the short-area change of direction. It's competent in a workout, but he
must graduate beyond thinking about a plan and recognizing the plan and executing it instantaneously so there's no sluggishness
with his footwork.

Quote from: brownelvis54 on Today at 02:42:19 PMYeah, he either leaves on his own or the Giants will cut him

or potentially they could trade him

https://x.com/Giants/status/1784291422100664462

https://x.com/ChaseDaniel/status/1784281555315409052