Who had the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' best rookie season?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have had some very good rookie seasons over the course of its franchise history, but you may not need to look far to find the team's best rookie in the last 20 years.

The team has seen running back Doug Martin rush for over 1,000 yards in 2012, Mike Evans catch 12 touchdowns and over 1,000 yards in 2014 and tackle Tristan Wirfs anchor the right tackle spot for Tom Brady in 2020, among many other strong performances. But one rookie season may have stood out above the rest — Bucs star Bucky Irving's campaign last year in 2024.

Pro Football Focus put together a list of every team's best rookie season since PFF started grading players in 2006, and Irving is the Bucs' highest-rated rookie season since then with a grade of 90.8 overall. Here's what writer Ryan Smith had to say about Irving's year:

"Irving didn’t have as much volume as other top running backs early in the 2024 season but was a workhorse down the stretch, leading the NFL in yards after contact per attempt (3.93) and forcing 62 missed tackles in the process. He earned elite PFF grades as a runner (90.0) and a receiver (90.5) for the NFC South champion Buccaneers."

Irving was initially a backup running back behind Rachaad White, but his prowess in the run game and the passing game eventually saw him take over starting duties. His ability to make players miss and find space at the line led him to a season where he ran for eight touchdowns and 1,122 yards, becoming Tampa Bay's first 1,000-yard rusher since Martin in 2015.

Irving will have offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard as a new playcaller for this year, but he'll also have the same offensive line from last year's standout campaign. If he can replicate that success, the Bucs will have a wealth of offensive firepower in 2025.