Wright’s speed and burst will be coveted by NFL teams.
Nobody saw this coming three years ago when Jaylen Wright first stepped onto campus as an overlooked three-star prospect, but here we are. Wright is Tennessee’s top NFL Draft prospect this year, taking himself from a track-star type to a complete back ready to make a splash at the professional level.
Wright’s speed and explosion, along with a pretty low usage rate at the college level, have some NFL front offices thinking that he might just be the best back in this class.
Jaylen Wright college career breakdown
Wright actually committed to Jeremy Pruitt, signing with the Volunteers back in December of 2020. The North Carolina native was a three-star recruit, ranking 659th overall in the class, per 247Sports. Arkansas, Miami, NC State and Mississippi State were his other notable offers.
Despite a 187 pound frame, Wright was forced into an early role for Josh Heupel in 2021. Tennessee was beaten up in the transfer portal, and really didn’t have much depth in the backfield. By the end of his freshman season, it was Wright getting the bulk of the load for the Volunteers. He flashed some of that explosiveness in those chances, leading him into a much bigger role for the 2022 season.
Splitting time with Jabari Small, Wright’s numbers made a big jump during that special 2022 season. Once he put some fumbling issues behind him, Wright ended up leading the team with a 6.0 yards per carry mark. He ran for 875 yards on the year, and was clearly Tennessee’s best option by late fall.
6.0 yards per carry moved all the way up to a staggering 7.4 yards per carry in 2023. As the unquestioned top guy in a three-headed rotation, Wright ran for over 1,000 yards as a junior. His bulked up 210 pound frame helped him in between the tackles, but he was able to keep that explosiveness in his game.
Measurables
Height: 5-10
Weight: 210
40 yard dash: 4.38
10 yard split: 1.55
Vertical: 38”
Broad: 11’2”
Jaylen Wright Scouting Report
Wright ended up being a perfect match for Josh Heupel’s up-tempo spread offense, taking advantage of wide lanes and space to make defenses pay. His ability to get up to speed and pull away from the pack is special, considering his now bulked up 210 pound frame. There was some question as to whether or not Wright could be an every down type of back when he arrived in Knoxville, but he quickly answered those questions by adding that bulk.
Wright struggled with fumbling early in the 2022 season, but really put those issues behind him in late 2022 and 2023. Four fumbles in 2022 turned into zero in 2023 — Wright had to earn back the trust of the staff midseason as a sophomore and he did that and then some.
It’s true that Wright has a tendency to bounce runs wide, but the good news is that he has the burst to beat incoming defenders around the corner to make something out of nothing. You see that a few times in the tape above against a really stout Texas A&M interior.
While the burst and the top end speed are there, Wright lacks a little wiggle in the open field. Instead he’ll try to beat defenders with angles, which he had plenty of success with during his time at Tennessee.
Another bonus is his ability to handle passes out of the backfield, which is a must in today’s NFL. Although the numbers aren’t eye-popping, Wright looked like a natural in his limited opportunities to catch the ball in Heupel’s offense.
There’s a lot to like here, and I’d argue we haven’t seen the best of Wright just yet. We’ve seen so much development over the past three seasons from him, and I would expect him to continue to get stronger. Improved toughness, leg churn and strength have really rounded out his game, and now he’s ready to step into an NFL rotation from day one.
NFL Draft Projection: Third round