3 prospects Browns need to avoid at all costs in the 2024 NFL Draft

2. Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon

Heading into the offseason, Bucky Irving felt like an intriguing prospect. After playing for Minnesota as a freshman, Irving transferred to Oregon where he blossomed into a star. He topped 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons in Eugene, finishing with 2,238 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Ducks.

Irving also proved to be a talented receiver out of the backfield. He added 87 receptions for 712 yards and five touchdowns as a pass-catcher. Despite being undersized, Irving had enough production to be considered a top-five running back in this class.

He could still be a valuable addition to some teams, but he’s not someone the Browns should draft. 

Standing at just 5-foot-9 and 192 pounds, Irving isn’t built to be an every-down back in the NFL. That means anyone adding him should be looking for a committee approach. Cleveland already has several players who can succeed in a committee including D’Onta Foreman, Jerome Ford, and Nyheim Hines. Adding one more feels like it might be too much.

In addition to that, Irving’s numbers at the NFL Combine left a lot to be desired. He had a 40-yard dash time of 4.55 seconds. That’s not awful but considering his size, being a burner would have helped. He also had the lowest vertical jump and second-lowest broad jump out of all running backs.

His athleticism should have set him apart and allowed teams to ignore his size. Instead, it led to more concerns — which is why the Browns would be better off skipping on Irving in the 2024 NFL Draft.