One word best defines Wright’s game: explosive.
A three-star prep footballer and sprinter, Tennessee Volunteers running back Jaylen Wright enters the NFL after three promising seasons.
He finished his FBS career with a hearty 7.4 yards-per-carry average and an increased role as a receiving outlet, but Wright’s scoring rate drastically plummeted. It’s not entirely his fault as the Air Raid design saw Wright take every single one of his 137 carries from shotgun formation. Wright’s 1,154 offensive yards ranked eighth in the SEC last year, and his 10 ground scores as a sophomore finished fourth in the conference the prior season.
Height: 5-foot-10 1/2
Weight: 210 pounds
40 time: 4.38 seconds
To bolster a strong junior year, he is coming off a showing at the NFL Scouting Combine that only confirmed his elite athleticism. Wright posted a ridiculous 11-foot-2 broad jump to go along with a blistering 40-yard time and a 38 1/2-inch vertical. The 15.18 mph speed at the 5-yard mark of his 40 was the fastest burst among all backs at the combine over the past two events, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
Table: RB Jaylen Wright, Tennessee (2021-23)
| Year |
School |
Class |
Gm |
Att |
Yds |
Avg |
TD |
Rec |
Yds |
TD |
| *2021 |
Tenn |
Fr |
9 |
85 |
409 |
4.8 |
4 |
6 |
22 |
0 |
| *2022 |
Tenn |
So |
13 |
146 |
875 |
6.0 |
10 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
| *2023 |
Tenn |
Jr |
12 |
137 |
1,013 |
7.4 |
4 |
22 |
141 |
0 |
| Total |
34 |
368 |
2,297 |
6.2 |
18 |
30 |
171 |
0 |
Pros
- Elite explosiveness and breakaway ability — his short-area burst jumps off the screen, and Wright has a second year in the open field
- Quality contact balance and the ability go through in addition to around defenders
- Hardly any mileage on his odometer and enters the NFL after freshly turning 21 years old — plenty of upside for growth and years of starting-level contributions
- Drastically improved his ball security after four fumbles in 2022 — only one lost ball this past season while setting a personal high in touches (159)
- Can’t teach Wright’s patience and feel for the play unfolding
- Despite being known for his big plays, he’s a capable banger up the gut and has been effective in this way
- Better receiver than the stats suggest — natural receiver and looked smooth during an increased aerial role in 2023
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Cons
- Limited experience in diverse rushing designs after playing in an Air Raid system — so many runs out of shotgun inherently results in facing thin defensive fronts
- Far too many fumbles per touch in 2022 — as mentioned above, he cleaned up his act in 2023 but it’s worth keeping an eye on
- Not adept at stacking moves and isn’t all that loose in the hips — more of a one-cut-and-go type
- Could refine his technique and identification in pass protection
- Mostly inexperienced as a route runner
Fantasy football outlook
An absolute nightmare if he gets into the secondary, Wright excels in a zone attack, particularly on stretch plays. He has three-down potential at the next level but may be eased into that kind of role as the lightning in a one-two punch. An interesting landing spot would have been Washington to pair him with new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury in partnership with a bulldozing Brian Robinson Jr., but the Austin Ekeler signing throws that out the window. Drafting Wright makes sense for Denver, Baltimore, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Las Vegas, Minnesota, New York Giants, and the Los Angeles Chargers, among others.
All of his positives point toward a Day 2 selection in April’s 2024 NFL Draft. Regardless of where Wright ends up, his long-range outlook tops out as a fringe RB1 or strong No. 2 in fantasy, and his floor is somewhere in the short-term utility neighborhood. Should he get a chance to immediately challenge for a starting spot, there’s legit RB3 or better value in 2024 fantasy drafts.
