EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- When the New York Giants selected Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, most of the talk was about how the explosive Purdue star had made the transition from wide receiver to running back for his final collegiate season. But according to Tracy himself, the transition wasn't difficult -- because he was a running back before he was a receiver anyway.
"I wouldn't say it was hard to be honest just because I've always played running back," Tracy said. "It was actually harder going from running back to receiver than it was switching back, because I didn't have a receiver coach. I didn't really have anybody you know teaching me how to be a receiver. So, I kind of like did all that on my own. I would look up YouTube videos and go out on the field and like try to replicate the drill that they were doing.
"But going from receiver to running back was pretty natural. Because I've always been a natural running back. If you ever watched my film from receiver, I was moving like a running back even though I was in the receiver world. So, coming to running back it was more of the details and fundamentals. I had to get back to understanding protections, understanding fronts, run game, where my block is at, setting up correctly. Just little details and fine tuning who I am as a football player."
Tracy knows that it's the protection aspect that usually keeps rookie running backs off the field. Coaches want somebody they can trust standing next to or behind the quarterback, because being able to pick up blitzes and ensure the quarterback does not take a big hit is one of most important parts of the job -- perhaps even more important than gaining yards on the ground. Tracy feels like he's getting the hang of that aspect of the position again.
"I'm doing pretty well," he said. "At first it was a little complicated. Just from the standpoint of the information going in and understanding where my eyes were supposed to be. But now from going from OTAs, rookie mini camp and then coming into camp, I'm feeling very confident back there. I understand where my eyes are supposed to be, understanding the route concepts, and then make sure that the timing is all correct as well."
Of course, Tracy comes into training camp competing for the No. 2 running back role behind or alongside free-agent signee Devin Singletary. But they're not just competing; Singletary is also providing guidance for the rookie, allowing Tracy to tap into his five years of experience -- three of them alongside Giants head coach Brian Daboll in Buffalo.
"Devin helps me out tremendously," Tracy said. "And on the field, off the field, in every aspect of the game, just learning how to be a professional. I talk to him all the time just from learning how to take care of my body, make sure my legs are under me every time I step out there on the football field, make sure I'm carrying myself the right way. And then if I have any questions on protection, like if I did the right thing, or if my eye was right, or what he would do in this situation. We just have conversations, little conversations like that.
"It's not really like he's telling me what to do, it's more so like I'm going to him for guidance, and ask him for any type of information that can help me when I'm on the football field."
When it comes to being able to contribute right away, Tracy feels like he has a couple of advantages. First, he was in college for six years, so he actually has a lot more experience than most rookies. (He had a redshirt year and then an extra COVID year.) But there's also the fact that he didn't become a full-time running back again until his final season.
"Only playing running back for one year, I [don't] have a lot of tread on my tires," he said. "I haven't been ran to the ground, only have a hundred something or 200 carries, And then on top of that I'm well seasoned, just from being in college."
