High School

You Won't Believe What This 14U Star Just Did On ESPN; Even Patrick Mahomes Reacted

Mandarin High School's Brysen Wright delivers jaw-dropping catches at the NFL Flag Championships, becoming must-see TV

Levi Payton

Mandarin wide receiver Brysen Wright (1) makes an open-field cut on his way to a 77-yard touchdown reception during a high school spring football game against Bolles on May 22, 2025.
Mandarin wide receiver Brysen Wright (1) makes an open-field cut on his way to a 77-yard touchdown reception during a high school spring football game against Bolles on May 22, 2025. / Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If you're going to go viral, it might as well be with some flair.

The NFL Flag Championships in Canton, Ohio, witnessed a breakout performance Saturday from a rising talent who showed why he's already drawing national attention.

Brysen Wright, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound receiver for Jaguars Elite 14U who attends Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Florida, went viral on Saturday when the star receiver delivered multiple highlight-reel plays during the quarterfinals.

Wright's most spectacular play came on a flag route in the end zone, where he split three defenders for a jump ball. He secured the pass from quarterback Dalton Motes with a one-handed backhand catch for a touchdown against the Ravens from Long Island, New York. Replay from the broadcast confirmed it was a clear, clean catch.

ESPN's Adam Schefter seemed impressed, he reposted the clip on X, formerly Twitter, with the caption "Ever see a better catch?"

Perhaps envisioning a future connection with the Mandarin (Florida) High School football star, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes reacted "Yooo what?" on his X account, formerly Twitter, after seeing his touchdown grab.

While the sport’s legends are beginning to respect his game, Wright was already well-known in college recruiting circles. As a freshman this season at Mandarin, the highly-touted four-star Rivals prospect hauled in 31 receptions for 646 yards and eight touchdowns.

At 14 years old, he has already amassed an impressive list of scholarship offers from major college football programs including Ohio State, Texas, Alabama, LSU, Miami (Florida), Florida, Florida State, Auburn, and South Carolina. In all, he holds at least 16 offers, according to 247Sports.

Beyond the touchdown, Wright continued to make an impact. In the second half, he executed another impressive reception, this time a back-shoulder catch down the right sideline. He reached back with his left hand to snare the ball while bracing himself with his right hand on the turf.

And Wright’s versatility wasn't limited to offense. Playing safety, he also sealed an interception while covering the middle of the field, helping Jaguars Elite maintain an 18-13 lead late in the game. They held on for an eventual 24-19 victory to advance to Sunday's championship round, where they are scheduled to face the Bills from Clifton Park, New York.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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