The New York Giants entered the 2024 NFL draft seeking out players who could help them both build their roster and enhance their culture.

So when they selected Purdue’s soon-to-be 25-year-old everyman, running back/receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round, fans began to piece together the mindset.

“Some of these guys are older, too, relative to what people have been through the past few years, I would say, COVID and all those other things,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said after the draft.

“Some guys are a little bit older. He’s a former receiver. In terms of yards per carry, he’s been pretty good. He’s an athlete who has played receiver and then played running back and has some good production. We’ll throw him in the mix. Whether that’s in the kickoff return game or whether that’s at running back or the receiving part of it, we’ve got to do a good job of getting him in here and seeing where he’s at and then trying to fit him into the things that he can do well.”

Tracy was the first of the Giants’ six draft picks to sign his rookie deal, which was completed this week. He sloughed that off and revealed the real reason why he is here.

“I’m here to play football,” Tracy said. “I’m not really worried about the business side of it. If I do what I do on the football field, everything else will come.”

Tracy believes he could not have landed in a better place. The Giants are entering the post-Saquon Barkley era with a committee approach at running back. He feels he’s a good fit with his skill set.