2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: CB Mykael Wright, Oregon

The Giants can always use more depth at cornerback, so what could Oregon's Mykael Wright offer them?

Author:
Nick Falato
Publish date:
Mar 28, 2022 8:41 PM EDT

In this story:

Oregon Ducks

Mykael Wright, CB

Height: 5’10 ½”
Weight: 173 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: Oregon
Arm length: 30 ½”
Hand size: 9”
40-yard-dash: 4.57

A former four-star recruit out of Antelope Valley High School in Lancaster, California, Wright was the fourth CB, and the fifth California recruit during the 2019 cycle. ESPN had Wright as their top CB, and the 19th ranked prospect in high school.

Notables

Wright made an early impression as a freshman on special teams, returning two kicks for a touchdown. Wright is one of 11 FBS players to return two kickoffs for a touchdown in a single season.

He earned Freshman All-American second-team nod. His sophomore year (2020, Covid shortened) was excellent on defense; he allowed 18 catches on 34 targets (52.9 percent) for 228-yards with eight passes defended. He was first-team All Pac-12 in 2020.

His junior year was a slight regression. He allowed 38 catches on 61 targets for 426-yards with three passes defended and an interception. He missed 16.2% of his tackles and was grabby (five penalties).

Despite a slight regression, he was an honorable mention for the Pac-12 All-Conference, voted by the coaches, and the AP had him first-team All Pac-12 as a cornerback and a kick returner.

Strengths

Solid overall athlete for the CB position
When off, he has a smooth back-pedal and he does a good job exploding downhill when it’s warranted
Good route recognition; able to sink underneath seven smash while not completely abandoning flat route - used good timing when in conflict
Good short area burst to close width on receivers in his area
Does well to stay in phase while in man coverage
Good zone defender who was frequently had his backside to the sideline at the snap
Used good click & close on underneath routes, solid angles of pursuit
Good overall eye discipline in zone coverage
Plays through catch point, brings a disruptive nature
Solid overall ball skills (needs to get his head around)
Aggressive tackler who is willing to throw the weight he has around
A very tough player who was chirping all game at Ohio State’s Chris Olave
Dangerous kick returner who is a difference maker on special teams

Want to check out more NFL Draft profiles by Nick Falato?

Click here to see those already posted.

Gallery

1 Images

Can Improve

Undersized and his arms are short
Doesn’t possess elite athletic gifts
Lack of length/elite AA traits may hinder his ability to play outside
Slight, lean, frame
Center of gravity rised too much when on the LOS, resulting in advantageous outside releases by WR
Needs to keep balance on sudden transitions in the intermediate - deep part of the field
Gets a bit grabby in and out of breaks - was penalized 11 times in college
Needs to locate ball in the air, will play through receiver and not get head around - could result in excess flags
Tackle in space is wild and susceptible to jukes
Doesn’t always wrap up, throws body at tackle point

Summary

Overall, Wright is an adequate cornerback option who performed very well in 2020 but slightly regressed in 2021. He can be a good developmental backup with the upside of being a solid starter in two years. Wright does a good job reading routes in front of him while in zone coverage; he’s also solid attacking downhill from depth.

He may be a better fit for a zone-heavy system. He can play man coverage, but his transitions in the deeper portions of the field aren’t too smooth. His lack of size and elite AA traits could hurt him, and he does get grabby and faceguards too often - he has to get his head around at the catch point.

I love the competitive nature of Wright, who isn’t scared to tackle, albeit his technique isn’t great, and his size hurts him. Wright isn’t a bad day three developmental corner, with upside and great special teams value as a returner.

GRADE: 5.96