Jaylen Wright is a big time athlete who has improved every year of his career. Despite being just a 3rd year player, he’s perhaps the most underrated running back prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. Read on for a first look at BNB Football’s Jaylen Wright NFL scouting report.
Prospect: Jaylen Wright
School: Tennessee
Position: Running Back
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 210
Class: Junior (3rd Year)
Jaylen Wright NFL Draft Profile Overview
Jaylen Wright is a fast running back with an athletic build who is quickly developing other aspects of his game.
He played his high school football at Southern School in Durham, North Carolina, earning a 3 star rating from all main recruiting outlets.
Despite not receiving much hype as a recruit when he enrolled at Tennessee in 2021, Wright found playing time right away as a true freshman. He was decent in 2021, but really caught everyone’s eye in 2022.
Wright was one of the most efficient runners in college football in 2022, showcasing an impressive combination of speed, patience, and balance. He’s dangerous in the open field and runs through defenders routinely, despite being an average size at 5’11” 210 pounds.
Jaylen Wright looks good on the stat sheet, but when I watch him on film I can’t help but think he might be the best running back in this fairly weak 2024 draft class.
He has a very strong frame, speed to play in any system, and the natural fluidity that you find in the NFL’s top running backs.
There were some aspects of his game that he needed to clean up before becoming a legitimate NFL Draft prospect, and he’s mostly done that in 2023. This year we’re seeing the same explosiveness and balance, but a significantly improved ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, and some improvement as a pass blocker.
There’s no guarantee that Wright enters the NFL Draft since he’s only in his 3rd college season, but he is as NFL ready as just about anyone in college football.
Stats
Jaylen Wright has spent all three of his college seasons with Tennessee, and has improved consistently each season.
2023*: 8 games, 102 carries, 713 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 7.0 yards per carry, 18 receptions, 104 receiving yards
2022: 13 games, 146 carries, 875 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns, 6.0 yards per carry, 2 receptions, 8 receiving yards
2021: 9 games, 85 carries, 409 rushing yards, 4 rushing touchdowns, 4.8 yards per carry, 6 receptions, 22 receiving yards
*Updated stats will be shared at the completion of the 2023 season.
Accolades
- 2023 Doak Walker Award Preseason Candidate (Watch list for the best running back in college football)
- 2023 ESPN College Football Midseason All-America Team
Strengths
- Major open field speed
- Prototypical size for the modern NFL
- Impressive contact balance, breaks lower body tackles
- Very competitive with a proven work ethic
- High football IQ
- Runs with patience
- No major injuries in his career
Weaknesses
- Occasionally lets his pad level get too high
- Very poor receiving ability prior to 2023
- Doesn’t play in an NFL style offense
- Needs faster recognition in pass protection
Jaylen Wright Estimated 40 Time
Based on film, Jaylen Wright’s estimated 40 time is approximately 4.33 seconds. This would compete to potentially be the fastest running back in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Draft Projection
Late 2nd Round
Jaylen Wright isn’t getting much NFL attention right now, but that will likely change once the NFL Combine comes around in February.
Want to learn more about Jaylen Wright or the 2024 Running Back Draft Class?
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