Tag: Darnell Wright

Top 2023 NFL Draft prospects at the Eagles’ biggest positions of need

We’re looking at the top 2023 NFL Draft prospects at the Philadelphia Eagles’ most significant positions of need

The rich are getting richer, and even with a 38-35 loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, things are looking promising for the Eagles as the 2023 NFL offseason gets underway.

Thanks to some draft night wizardry from Howie Roseman, the Eagles traded the No. 16 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the No. 18 overall pick, a 2022 third-round pick, a 2022 seventh-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick, and a 2024 second-round pick.

With 18 Eagles set to hit free agency and some roster retooling set to begin, here are the best 2023 NFL draft prospects at the Birds’ biggest positions of need.

Two Vols projected as first-round selections in 2023 NFL draft

Two Vols are projected to be first-round selections in the 2023 NFL draft.

The NFL draft process is in full swing as postseason all-star games come to a close and the focus shifts to the scouting combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.

CBS Sports released an updated mock draft Thursday, and two Vols are projected to be selected in the first round.

Offensive lineman Darnell Wright is projected to be the No. 13 overall selection by Baltimore.

Wright earned unanimous first-team All-SEC honors last season after starting all 13 games at right tackle. He did not allow a sack in 19 consecutive games to end his career. Wright has the versatility to play both tackle and guard in the NFL.

Wide receiver Jalin Hyatt is projected as the 21st pick, taken by the Chargers.

Hyatt won Tennessee’s first Biletnikoff Award last season after leading the country in receiving touchdowns. He set a single-game record with five receiving touchdowns against Alabama. Hyatt was also a consensus and unanimous first-team All-American selection in 2022.

LATEST: Tennessee offers 3-star safety Dashawn McBryde

LATEST: Tennessee offers 2025 No. 1 wide receiver Caleb Cunningham

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Contact/Follow us @VolsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Tennessee news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Zach McKinnell on Twitter @zachmckinnell

Seven Tennessee players invited to 2023 NFL scouting combine

The NFL announced 319 prospects who have been invited to the 2023 NFL scouting combine. Vols Wire looks at the seven Vols who received an invite to the NFL scouting combine.

The Volunteers will have seven representatives at the 2023 NFL scouting combine.

The NFL announced 319 prospects who received invites on Wednesday. The NFL scouting combine will be held Feb. 28-March 6 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Quarterback Hendon Hooker, wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, wide receiver Cedric Tillman, offensive tackle Darnell Wright, edge rusher Byron Young, punter Paxton Brooks, and linebacker Jeremy Banks will represent the Vols.

Hooker was selected as the 2022 SEC Offensive Player of the Year by USA TODAY and was an All-America selection by three different publications (CBS Sports, 247Sports, Associated Press).

Hyatt won Tennessee’s first Biletnikoff Award this season after recording 1,267 receiving yards and leading the country with 15 receiving touchdowns.

Tillman was limited in 2022 due to a high-ankle sprain, but totaled 417 receiving yards and three touchdowns in six games. His 1,081 receiving yards in 2021 rank fifth in Tennessee history.

Wright earned unanimous first-team All-SEC honors and was named a semifinalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award this season. He allowed zero sacks on over 850 snaps for the Vols as a senior.

Young finished his two-year career with the Vols with 23.5 tackles for a loss and 12.5 sacks. He earned first-team All-SEC honors this season after being named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week twice.

Banks finished his career at Tennessee with 219 total tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, three interceptions, and 10 pass breakups. He became the first Vol to finish the season with 100-plus tackles since 2015 (128 tackles in 2021).

Brooks played in over 60 career games and started four straight seasons for the Vols at punter. His career average of 42.47 yards per punt ranks sixth all-time in Tennessee history.

Tennessee makes top-16 for 4-star lineman Nigel Smith II

Tennessee offers 3-star safety Dashawn McBryde

Contact/Follow us @VolsWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Tennessee news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Zach McKinnell on Twitter @zachmckinnell

10 players who raised their stock during Senior Bowl week

It was a good week for the offensive line in the 2023 Senior Bowl.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is the unofficial beginning of draft season. We know which underclassmen have declared, and with only one NFL game left, 30 other NFL teams have their eyes on the draft.

Last week, some of the 2023 NFL draft’s top prospects converged in Mobile, Alabama, with all 32 NFL teams present.

While this wasn’t a standout quarterback class on the field in Mobile, other positions did stand out. Most specifically, it was a good week for teams that needed offensive line help.

The Washington Commanders need offensive line help as much as anyone in the NFL. The Commanders could upgrade up to four positions in 2023. That doesn’t mean Washington is looking for four new starters, but the Commanders will be active in upgrading their offensive line this offseason.

Other positions of interest for Washington include cornerback and linebacker.

We name 10 players who saw their stock rise after their week at the Senior Bowl. For the most part, we’ll focus on positions of interest to the Commanders.

10 potential Eagles targets that stood out the most during the 2023 Senior Bowl

We’re looking at 10 potential Philadelphia Eagles NFL Draft targets that stood out the most during the 2023 Senior Bowl

The NFL Draft starts in Mobile, Alabama, and on Saturday afternoon, the National team dominated the American team 27-10 at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener was named the game MVP after he completed 12 of 19 passes for 139 yards and a 44-yard-touchdown connection to Stanford wide receiver Michael Wilson, who impressed all week long.

The Eagles have 18 players set to hit free agency and with Howie Roseman needing to reload, here are ten draft prospects that stood out on Saturday.

7 offensive line prospects for the Eagles to watch at 2023 Senior Bowl

7 offensive line prospects for the Philadelphia Eagles to watch at the 2023 Senior Bowl

The NFL draft starts in Mobile, and even with the Eagles preparing to face the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, all eyes this week will be on Alabama, for the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

Philadelphia has Andre Dillard (LT) and Isaac Seumalo (OG) set to hit unrestricted free agency, and Jason Kelce could decide to retire.

With kickoff from Mobile quickly approaching, here are seven offensive line prospects to watch at the Senior Bowl on Saturday.

2023 Senior Bowl: Biggest winners at every position

Here are the guys who helped their stock the most after a week of Senior Bowl practice.

Senior Bowl practices are officially in the books, and just like every other installment, this year’s week of festivities saw a handful of NFL draft prospects send their stock in the right direction with impressive performances.

Here are my picks for the biggest winners at every position from the 2023 Senior Bowl:

Breaking down Chargers’ picks in Draft Wire’s latest mock draft

The Chargers take a wide receiver and offensive tackle.

Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling released his latest two-round projections for Senior Bowl week, and he sees the Chargers going wide receiver and offensive tackle with their first two selections in the 2023 NFL draft.

Easterling pegged Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt to Los Angeles with the No. 21 overall selection.

Here is what Easterling had to say about the pairing:

Justin Herbert already has a pair of big, physical receivers who can win in contested-catch situations all day long (Keenan Allen, Mike Williams), but he could use one who can separate consistently. Hyatt’s breakout season was fueled by his explosive, big-play ability, which is exactly what this offense needs.

Hyatt, the reigning Biletnikoff Award recipient, has an electric 4.2 speed, which he used to outrun SEC defenders routinely. Additionally, he has elite ball-tracking skills and is excellent at the catch point.

Hyatt caught 67 passes for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. He averaged 18.9 yards per catch, ranked 13th in the nation, and had 14 catches on balls thrown at least 20 yards downfield, tied for fourth.

Herbert’s 6.8 yards per attempt ranked 26th in the NFL in 2022, and Hyatt’s downfield ability would help turn that around toward the top of the league.

With their second-round pick, Easterling has the Bolts selecting another Volunteer, offensive tackle Darnell Wright.

With Trey Pipkins set to be a free agent, there is no guarantee that he will be brought back despite his play from this past season suggesting he’s worthy of a contract extension.

If they don’t re-sign Pipkins, the Chargers could find his replacement early in the draft. In this case, Wright would be a solid selection.

Wright, the first-team All-SEC selection in 2022, finished his collegiate career without allowing a sack in 19 straight games dating back to the 2021 season.

Wright has the makeup of an NFL starting tackle, with the size, length, play strength, power and balance and experience against top-tier competition.

5 players who stood out on day 2 of the Senior Bowl

We highlight five of the players who stood out on day two of Senior Bowl practice. Which of these players could help the Commanders?

On Tuesday, one of the highlights from practice at the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl was the sheer size of Ohio State offensive tackle Dawand Jones. At 6-foot-8, 375 pounds, Jones had the largest wingspan measured in the history of the annual draft showcase. He was dominant on the field, too.

Jones stood out on Wednesday, too, but he was far from the only one. While there is a lot of focus on the quarterbacks and skill players, the line drills usually draw the biggest crowds. NFL teams want close-up looks to see which offensive linemen can hold their own in pass protection and which defensive linemen win more battles than they lose.

Which players stood out on Wednesday’s second day of practice? We pick five players who stood out and could be of interest to the Washington Commanders.

Senior Bowl notebook: Day 2 standouts and notes

Here are some standouts and observations from the second day of Senior Bowl practices, with a focus on the lines

The second day of Senior Bowl practices here in Mobile saw the clouds roll in after a sun-soaked Tuesday. Wednesday’s action from the American and National teams was fully padded and featured more intense contact.

After focusing on the skill position players in the first practice, today was about the linemen. The offensive and defensive lines offered up some serious action at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Here are some standouts and observations from the second day of practices.