Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Wright Climbing Draft Boards, Potential Titans Target At No.11
NASHVILLE - When it comes to offensive linemen in the 2023 NFL Draft class, perhaps none have seen their stock rise as much since the conclusion of the college season as the former University of Tennessee left tackle Darnell Wright.
Wright was originally projected as q second to third-round prospect, but that began to change following his performance at the Senior Bowl, where coaches, scouts, executives, and media pundits began recognizing his abilities and potential.
Senior Bowl executive director, Jim Nagy, was one of the first and loudest proponents for Wright, evidenced by his tweet earlier this week showing Wright in action.
At 6'5", 333 lbs, Wright has the size teams covet in a left tackle, though his arm length is slightly below what most NFL teams consider optimal.
Athletically, Wright posted a 5.01-second 40-yard dash, ranking sixth among the offensive linemen at the combine. His 10-yard split of 1.81 seconds was 20th-best among his positional group, and his 9’6″ broad jump ranked third among offensive linemen at the combine. He also posted a 29-inch vertical jump, the 21st among offensive linemen.
Wright did not participate in the bench press at the combine, though he could choose to do so on Thursday during his pro day in Knoxville.
Wright finished with one of the highest RAS scores (Relative Athletic Score, a metric for scoring a player's physical abilities) of 9.47, which was the fourth highest among offensive linemen.
Only Blake Freeland (BYU) with a 9.82, Earl Bostick Jr (Kansas) with 9.58, and Jaelyn Duncan (Maryland) with a 9.46 score above Wright.
Wright's 9.45 edged Broadrick Jones (Georgia) at 9.44, and Wright's overall athleticism score tied Jones with an 85.
While Wright is thought of as a better run blocker, who can dominate when he is focused, he proved capable of being an outstanding pass blocker during the '22 season, when he more than held his own against Alabama's Will Anderson, who will likely be taken in the top-five of the draft come April.
Regardless, Wright has elevated himself into the first-round conversation among multiple teams and could well see his name called on the opening night.
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