Tag: Darnell Wright

Titans had formal meeting with Tennessee OT Darnell Wright

The Titans have held a formal meeting with Tennessee OT Darnell Wright.

With the Tennessee Titans in the market for at least one offensive tackle this offseason, it comes as no surprise that the team is doing its due diligence at the position ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

Of course, left tackle is arguably the biggest priority of the entire offseason, but it’s also possible Tennessee is exploring adding a right tackle, also, as the jury is still out on Nicholas Petit-Frere, who struggled in Year 1. Adding to that, general manager Ran Carthon didn’t draft him.

As such, the team is keeping an eye on Tennessee offensive tackle, Darnell Wright, who will play right tackle at the next level. The Titans had a formal meeting with him at the NFL Combine, according to The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler.

Speaking of the combine, Wright did himself plenty of favors with a strong showing. He was already being mocked as a first-round pick by experts, and he has now further cemented that status and then some.

The Titans landing Wright in the draft seems unlikely, though.

I don’t see Tennessee spending the No. 11 overall pick on him, and it’s almost certain he won’t be around when the Titans pick next in the second round at No. 41 overall.

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Lions draft profile: Darnell Wright, OL, Tennessee

A scouting look at Tennessee OL Darnell Wright and how he might appeal to the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL draft

An offensive line prospect the Lions met with at both the Senior Bowl and formally at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, Wright is definitely worthy of a long scouting look.

Darnell Wright, OL, Tennessee

Height: 6-foot-5

Weight: 333 pounds (Combine numbers)

He’s 21 years old

Wright was once one of the top recruits in the nation coming out of high school. He played right away at Tennessee as a right tackle. The big man started for three years, including two (2020 and 2022) as the right tackle sandwiched around a year on the left side.

Entering his final season, Wright was something of a draft afterthought — generally seen as a Day 3 prospect with a lot to prove. The move back to the right side unlocked a more consistent, technically sound athlete who surged into top-50 draft consideration. He was one of the best linemen at the Senior Bowl in recent years playing both tackle and guard, and Wright followed that up with a solid combine.

Pros

  • Big frame with above-average power in his shoulders and leg drive
  • Showed a big jump in hand usage and confidence in his ability in his final season at Tennessee
  • Tremendous anchor strength vs. the bull rush
  • Decent feet in a small area
  • Rose to the level of high-end competition (Alabama’s Will Anderson, LSU’s B.J. Ojulari); he dominated Anderson head-to-head in 2022
  • Plays with violence in his hands with jolting punches that can stand up defenders, though he will overreach at times
  • Creates consistent movement right away as a run blocker
  • Excellent in pass pro when attacked to his inside shoulder
  • Experience starting at both tackle spots
  • Improved his lateral and second-level blocking vision and ability to engage with balance in ’22

Cons

  • Shorter arms (33.75 inches) than ideal for his height with small hands (9 inches) for a 6-foot-5 guy
  • Improved his recovery block ability in ’22 but still struggles if he gets out-quicked off the line
  • Hands still get too wide and high at times
  • Doesn’t sink his weight consistently as a run blocker; will get top-heavy when facing shorter/smaller defenders
  • Didn’t look natural or comfortable playing left tackle in ’21
  • Has not been an effective “look for work” blocker with a couple of notable exceptions
  • More of a leaner than a driver as a down blocker and when on the move, though he did this much better during Senior Bowl week

Overall

Wright sure looked like a first-round right tackle in 2022 and built upon that with a fantastic Senior Bowl week. It was a marked change from the inconsistent, technically sloppy player Wright was for most of his Volunteers career.

Due to his arm length and relative struggles against quickness, Wright might move inside to right guard. That would certainly be the case in Detroit, where Penei Sewell is a Pro Bowl right tackle. His ability to handle power, open up running lanes and finish blocks through the whistle are all appealing for a team like the Lions.

Wright projects as a first-rounder, usually in the 15-30 overall range. If the Lions want to address right guard prominently, Wright makes a lot of sense at No. 18, though he does have a lower floor than other top linemen and would need to make a position change. Impressive player on the rise, but not necessarily the best fit for the Lions.

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PHOTOS: Darnell Wright through the years

PHOTOS: A look at Darnell Wright through the years

Darnell Wright played offensive line at Tennessee from 2019-22.

He signed with Tennessee as a five-star prospect from Huntington High School in Huntington, West Virginia. He was a 2019 Under Armour All-American and earned MaxPreps Preseason All-American honors in 2018.

Wright played in 47 games at Tennessee, including 42 starts, totaling 2,746 offensive snaps.

He earned first-team All-SEC honors as a senior in 2022. Wright was a semifinalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award. He was named as the 2019 SEC All-Freshman Team.

Wright allowed zero sacks throughout the 2022 season and finished his collegiate career with a streak of 19 consecutive games without allowing one.

Below are photos of Wright through the years.

Jaguars draft Jawaan Taylor’s replacement in latest Todd McShay mock

ESPN’s Todd McShay says the Jaguars should be eying a replacement for Jawaan Taylor early in the 2023 NFL Draft.

It appears increasingly likely that the Jacksonville Jaguars will lose offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor to free agency. The 25-year-old right tackle is expected to have a “massive market” and the Jaguars used the franchise tag to retain tight end Evan Engram instead.

While the Jaguars have offensive tackles Cam Robinson and Walker Little already in place to take over as the starting duo, neither has much experience on the right side of the offensive line. So ESPN’s Todd McShay thinks the team could rectify that in April by picking one of the top right tackles of the 2023 NFL Draft.

In his latest mock draft, McShay projects the Jaguars will take Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright at 24th overall:

If the Jaguars let Jawaan Taylor leave in free agency, Wright could be the replacement at right tackle opposite Cam Robinson. He plays with great balance and is outstanding as a run blocker. At 6-5 and 333 pounds, he ran a 5.01 in the 40-yard dash, showing his quicks. I liked what I saw at the Senior Bowl, too. Wright would help keep quarterback Trevor Lawrence upright and open up seams for running back Travis Etienne Jr. as the Jaguars continue to emerge as a player in the AFC. He allowed just one sack in 2022.

Wright was one of the most impressive prospects at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, putting up stellar numbers for a player of his massive size.

In McShay’s mock draft, offensive tackles come at a premium with three (Peter Skoronski, Paris Johnson, Broderick Jones) off the board in the top 13 picks.

Among the players still on the board at the Jaguars’ pick were tight ends Darnell Washington and Dalton Kincaid, defensive lineman Bryan Bresee, cornerbacks Cam Smith and Clark Phillips III, safeties Brian Branch and Antonio Johnson, guard O’Cyrus Torrence, and pass rushers B.J. Ojulari and Will McDonald IV.

Which offensive linemen met with the Commanders at the 2023 NFL combine?

The Commanders were focused on the offensive line at the combine.

Another year of the NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone. And for the Washington Commanders, that meant meeting with as many prospects as possible.

Head coach Ron Rivera, general manager Martin Mayhew and others were in Indianapolis for the combine. While the Commanders met with several prospects at different positions, including one of the top quarterbacks in Florida’s Anthony Richardson, they clearly focused on one position in particular.

The Commanders met with several of the top offensive line prospects during the combine. While Washington likely met with several others, we track down its known meetings with some of the draft’s top offensive line prospects.

Colts met with Tennessee OT Darnell Wright

The Colts were among the teams to hold a formal meeting with Tennessee OT Darnell Wright.

The Indianapolis Colts will be among the teams looking to add depth to the offensive line, and it appears Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright is on their radar.

According to Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network, the Colts were among the long list of teams to hold a formal meeting with Wright ahead of the 2023 NFL draft.

With Braden Smith expected to remain at right tackle and second-year Bernhard Raimann likely getting a chance to be the starting left tackle, the Colts will be looking to add depth and competition to both sides.

Wright measured in at 6-foot-5 and 333 pounds with 33 3/4-inch arms at the NFL combine. He showed off some intriguing athleticism, posting a 5.01 in the 40-yard dash with a 1.81 in the 10-yard split. His 9-foot broad jump also caught some eyes.

He didn’t run the short shuttle drill, which is a strong predictor of NFL success.

(Courtesy of Kent Lee Platte)

Here’s what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said about Wright in his scouting report:

Right tackle prospect who used his size and power to overcome athletic limitations and spotty technique on the collegiate level. The tape can be a little uneven for Wright with poor block finishes followed up by aggressive pancakes. He played with much better body control and footwork in 2022, though. Wright is capable of staying at right tackle at the next level provided he’s given protection help from time to time. While he was often a positional blocker at Tennessee, he’s a very talented drive blocker when allowed to fire out. There will be inconsistent outings, but Wright should develop into a decent starting tackle with the potential to kick inside if necessary.

The Colts certainly need to add some depth to the offensive line, which is a priority right behind finding the next quarterback.

We’ll see if Wright will hear his name called by the Colts on draft day, but he’ll be one to monitor throughout the process.

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PHOTOS: Former Vols at the 2023 NFL scouting combine

PHOTOS: A look at former Vols at the 2023 NFL scouting combine

Seven former Vols participated in the 2023 NFL scouting combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Quarterback Hendon Hooker, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, wide receiver Cedric Tillman, offensive tackle Darnell Wright, edge rusher Byron Young, linebacker Jeremy Banks and punter Paxton Brooks were the seven representatives for Tennessee.

Young earned NFL scouting combine top performer honors from USA TODAY after ranking top-two among edge rushers in multiple drills. Banks was named to the 2023 All-Combine Team for NFL.com, while Wright was named an honorable mention.

Hyatt posted the best broad jump (11’3″) among all wide receivers and ranked third-best among all participants at the 2023 NFL scouting combine. His 4.40-second 40-yard dash was top-15 among all positions at the NFL scouting combine.

Below are photos of the seven former Tennessee players at the 2023 NFL scouting combine.

2023 NFL scouting combine: Darnell Wright by the numbers

2023 NFL scouting combine: Former Vol Darnell Wright by the numbers

Former Tennessee offensive lineman Darnell Wright began on-field testing at the 2023 NFL scouting combine on Sunday.

Wright measured at 6-foot-5, 333 pounds, 9-inch hands and 33 3/4-inch arms.

He recorded a 5.01-second 40-yard dash, ranking sixth among all offensive linemen. Wright’s 10-yard split of 1.81 seconds was 20th-best among his positional group.

Wright recorded a 9’6″ broad jump, ranking third among offensive linemen at the NFL scouting combine. He also recorded a 29-inch vertical jump, which was 21st among offensive linemen.

Wright finished the NFL scouting combine with a RAS score of 9.47, which was one of the highest marks among offensive linemen. Wright’s athleticism score of 85 was tied with Broderick Jones (Georgia) for second-best among offensive linemen.

Wright did not participate in the 3-cone drill or 20-yard shuttle on Sunday. The final drill at the 2023 NFL scouting combine for Wright will be the bench press on Monday.

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5 takeaways from offensive line day at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

The Commanders should have no problem finding help in the trenches next month.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is in the books after the offensive linemen and running backs took the field on Sunday in Indianapolis.

While the quarterbacks and defensive backs received most of the headlines throughout the weekend, several offensive linemen helped themselves on Sunday.

The Washington Commanders need plenty of help on the offensive line and spent multiple evenings having formal meetings with several prospects. Offensive tackle Darnell Wright of Tennessee and center John Michael Schmitz of Minnesota were among those who met with the Commanders.

While you can’t really say an offensive lineman’s stock dropped because of his 40 times, we offer some thoughts from Sunday’s offensive line workouts.

Vikings draft prospects: 6 players that impressed at the combine on Sunday

The running backs and offensive linemen finished the combine in style. Here are the players that stood out the most

The NFL Scouting Combine kicked off with a bang on Thursday afternoon by starting with the defensive lineman and linebackers. There was a lot of intrigue with this group, especially at the top.

On Friday, we got the secondary players with the cornerbacks and safeties. This is one of, if not the, deepest class in recent memory.

On Saturday, we got to see the quarterbacks throw and the wide receivers run. Needless to say, they didn’t disappoint.

Sunday had the offensive lineman and running backs. It was a fun way to end the combine. Here are the six players who stood out the most.