The Bucs have developed a reputation for taking care of their own. That’s become especially clear as veterans like Lavonte David, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin get later in their careers. But, they know how vital it is to invest in younger talent throughout the roster.
Luckily, the Bucs have two of the best young players in the league in Bucky Irving and Yaya Diaby. Earlier today, both earned a spot on Bleacher Report’s list of the players most likely to become superstars in 2025.
Bucs RB Bucky Irving is ‘Already Close’ to Superstardom
Bucky Irving exploded onto the scene last year, and Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon says he’s “already close” to superstardom. Despite starting just 3 games in 2024, he finished 10th in yards (1,122) and 15th in touchdowns (8). His 207 carries tied for 19th in the league, but he made the most of every carry.
“Among qualified backs, the 2024 fourth-round pick ranked behind only Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley and [Jahmyr] Gibbs with a 5.4 yards-per-attempt average in his rookie season,” Gagnon wrote.
Irving excelled between Week 15 and Week 18, racking up 479 yards from scrimmage and 2 touchdowns. Gagnon also noted that Irving “finished the campaign ranked in the top five among qualifiers with 2.7 yards per attempt after contact.”
Gagnon noted that the key for Irving will be the Bucs offensive line. That’s especially true, considering the Panthers and Saints finished at the bottom of the league in rushing defense last season. The Panthers finished 2024 as the worst scoring defense and the third-worst run defense in league history, according to StatMuse.
While the Saints and Panthers may be easy to run against, the Bucs will likely be without star LT Tristan Wirfs for at least the first few weeks in 2025. The Bucs enter the season as the No. 6 offensive line in the league, according to PFF’s Zoltán Buday. But, Buday released his rankings before the news of Wirfs’ injury broke.
Thanks to an “awesome” support system, “the stars appear to be aligned for Irving to become one,” Gagnon wrote.
LB Yaya Diaby Ready to ‘Gain All-Pro Attention’
One major factor behind Yaya Diaby’s progression toward superstardom may be the arrival of veteran edge rusher Haason Reddick. Even though Diaby’s sack total dropped from 7.5 to 4.5 during his sophomore season, Gagnon believes “the trajectory is there.”
“The 2023 third-round pick more than doubled his quarterback hits number from eight to 20 as defenses keyed on him more following a somewhat surprisingly strong rookie campaign,” Gagnon wrote. “Six of those hits and 2.5 of those sacks came in his final three games of the 2024 regular season, suggesting the 26-year-old could be on the verge of something special this year,” wrote Gagnon.
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles praised Diaby in April, complimenting his growth and improvement in terms of his pass-rushing strategy. His mental growth will be a key factor in his development during year 3.
“The first year, he was just trying to run through everything and we kind of let him go because he was a bull in a china shop,” Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said, according to Bucs Staff Writer/Reporter Brianna Dix. “Last year, he was more strategic in how he rushed the passer. Despite the sack numbers, he still was our most prolific pass rusher as far as getting pressures. [We] just expect him to finish those plays this year.”
If Diaby can convert a few more hits into sacks this year, he should be in great position to make his first Pro Bowl and earn consideration among All-Pro voters.
