WEST LAFAYETTE — Since the NFL Draft began in 1936, Purdue Football has had a player selected in every draft except the 1994, 1997 and 2019 drafts.
Purdue’s best bet in 2024 for that statement to remain true is running back Tyrone Tracy Jr.
With video game stats in high school, Tracy went to Iowa considering an early exit from college and declaring for the NFL draft after his junior season.
That’s not quite how it worked out for Tracy, who played four seasons at Iowa and two more at Purdue. In his sixth and final season, Tracy moved from receiver, which he played both at Iowa and in his first season at Purdue, to running back under new head coach Ryan Walters .
It ended up being the best decision for Tracy’s football future.
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Tyrone Tracy’s NFL Draft Resume
What Tracy needed more than anything during the 2023 season was opportunity, something that was in short supply the year before when he caught 28 passes for 198 yards and recorded just 17 carries.
Walters wanted to take full advantage of Tracy’s combination of speed, strength and athletic ability. Tracy became a running back and kickoff returner. Tracy only needed one game to show what he could do on special teams, returning a kickoff for a touchdown in last season’s opener against Fresno State.
“With Coach C (Purdue running backs coach Lamar Conard) and Coach Walt (Walters), honestly, they were the two main guys that helped me get to where I am today hui just because they gave me opportunities on the football field and also gave me confidence in myself and that I can actually be a high-caliber running back,” said Tracy.
Tracy capped his career as an All-Big Ten selection after rushing for 854 yards and averaging 6.6 per carry to go with 47 receptions for 330 yards. Tracy totaled nine touchdowns.
At the NFL Combine, Tracy managed to attract attention with his speed, running a 40-yard dash in 4.48 seconds with a vertical jump of 40 inches and a broad jump of 10 feet, 4 inches. At Purdue’s pro day last month, Tracy bench pressed 225 pounds 20 times while weighing just 209 pounds.
“I want them to understand that I have muscle down there,” Tracy said.
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NFL Projection
Tracy’s performance in the NFL Combine made him a surefire draft pick.
Now the question is where he will end up.
It’s possible Tracy could be drafted as early as Friday’s second day (Rounds 2 and 3), but it’s more likely he’ll be an early selection on Saturday’s third and final day.
Tracy’s experience on special teams and as both a receiver and running back makes him versatile and more attractive to scouts and general managers.
Even though Tracy thought the NFL would be his destination three years earlier than expected, he can admit he wasn’t ready at the time.
Now he has no doubts.
“I can go on a soccer field and say I can compete with anyone in the world,” Tracy said.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
