Jaylen Wright Scouting Report  

In 2022, Jaylen Wright premiered on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freak List” as a top 25 athlete in college football.

In 2023, he showcased that freakish athletic ability with 20% of his rushes going for 10+ yards. He also had the most yards after contact per run of any RB in the 2024 class.

His insane Combine performance included a 4.38-second 40 time and 11’2 broad jump, vaulting Wright into the top 5 of the RB class.

He holds as much upside as any RB in the class, but should you buy into a runner who never topped 150 carries in a college season?

Jaylen Wright Draft Profile

Jaylen Wright Combine Results

Percentiles vs Combine RBs since 1999, per MockDraftable

Jaylen Wright College Stats

Track Athlete Playing Football

At Southern High School in Durham, N.C., Wright’s biggest successes came on the track. He posted the fastest 100-meter time at the Prelim Durham County Championships as a sophomore. As a junior, he delivered some of the best times in the state.

Already running the equivalent of a low 4.5 in the 40 garnered the attention of college football coaches before Wright made an impact on the football field.

He played sparingly in his first two high school years. As a junior, he split carries with several other players. Wright rated as a three-star prospect after rushing only 89 times for 901 yards. Then he lost his senior season to the COVID shutdown.

Tennessee was the highest-profile school to offer Wright, and he accepted.

Wright Makes Immediate Impact

Knoxville buzzed about Wright after his first spring game in 2021.

He scored a TD and flashed exceptional speed in his first public performance.

The coaching staff could not keep Wright off the field. Only sophomore Jabari Small had more rushes among RBs.

Wright took over as the starter for the final three games, earning double-digit carries in each.

He looked poised for a sophomore breakout. Then, Tennessee fired HC Jeremy Pruitt.

Wright Adapts to New Offense

Josh Heupel took the helm and instituted a wide-open offense predicated on big plays.

Wright got the opportunity to showcase his big-play ability and did just that, averaging 6.14 yards per carry over his first two games.

He would struggle against better defenses that could contain his speed (Florida and Georgia), but late-season, monster games against Kentucky and Clemson proved Wright’s home run ability.

In 2023, Wright finally led the team in carries for the first time in his career.

He averaged 7.39 YPC with the highest 10+ yard rush percentage in the country. All four of Wright’s rushing TDs came from 40+ yards out.

The passing game also involved Wright for the first time. 

He caught 22 passes – all screens and flats. Though he struggled to turn those into big plays, Wright demonstrated some raw receiving ability.

Dominant games against tough defenses like Texas A&M and Georgia showed that Wright had broken through with NFL potential. 

Combine Superstar

Wright’s Pro Football Focus grade increased every season. His 91.0 for 2023 ranked fourth-highest among the 2024 class.

Wright entered the NFL Draft after only three seasons but was an afterthought in most NFL Draft rankings initially.

Heads would turn when Wright posted a 9.81 RAS at the Combine.

A 4.38-second 40 time at 210 pounds is exceptional. But his 11’2 broad jump tied for third-longest ever among Combine RBs.

The explosiveness and speed are apparent on film as well.

Jaylen Wright Highlights

Games watched: Georgia (2022), Clemson (2022), Florida (2023), South Carolina (2023), Alabama (2023), Kentucky (2023), UConn (2023), Missouri (2023), Georgia (2023), Vanderbilt (2023)

Wright’s highlights look incredible, with big play after big play.

But will his full body of work hold up under scrutiny?

Wright Hits the Home Run

Wright can outrun and outmaneuver any defender he has ever faced.

His film is littered with big runs where Wright’s smooth rushing style allows him to stay at max speed through traffic.

Once he hits the open field, there will be very few NFL players who can catch him.

In the clip below, Wright explodes into the predetermined hole before the Georgia defense can react.

He smoothly utilizes his rush angle at the second level to find the ideal spot between the LB and CB so that he can take the carry to the house.

Wright hit 22.2 MPH on this run.

Doing this against one of the best defenses in the country made it even more impressive. Wright will be drafted primarily for his big-play ability.

Cutting on A Dime

Wright utilizes many cut techniques to get the most out of his athleticism.

Sharp cuts allow Wright to get upfield quickly as a hole emerges.

But, he also utilizes jump cuts and smoother transitions to maintain his speed when the hole is large enough.

In the clip below, Wright makes two cuts to tear through the Vanderbilt defense. He starts the play heading sideways, but cuts upfield as a hole opens.

As a defender anticipates Wright’s rush angle, the RB cuts sharply to pick up extra yardage.

Cutting is often a weakness of 210+ pound RBs. Wright does this so fluidly that it is difficult to anticipate and stop.

Surprising Power

Wright usually plays with a finesse that avoids contact.

But when faced with contact, Wright can bully bigger defenders and drag them for additional yardage. His toughness shines through.

This happened numerous times against Texas A&M in 2023, including the clip below.

Wright drags the 185-pound CB for an additional 7 yards and then finishes with a stiff arm to the 215-pound safety.

Wright’s power showed primarily against second- and third-level defenders, rather than D-linemen. He probably won’t be a short-yardage back in the NFL, but embracing contact is a positive trait many RBs lack.

Inexperienced as Receiver

Wright’s lack of receiving experience shows when he is asked to catch the ball and make a play.

Wright often seems lost when transitioning from the catch to running in the open field, even on screen passes.

His hands are good, and he might be able to develop in the right offense. But he struggles right now.

In the clip below, Wright sets up for a screen by backpedaling off the snap. He should turn and stick instead of backpedaling, which can take him off balance when the throw comes.

This puts him off balance as he adjusts to the throw. It doesn’t allow him to transition to finding an angle as the nickel crashes inside.

If Wright had been able to transition after the catch to an outside angle, he could have evaded the nickel’s tackle and put up positive yardage. He even might have sprung a big play.

The clip does show Wright can catch and adjust to poorly thrown passes. He might be able to develop into a better PPR asset than his college film shows.

Jaylen Wright Team Fit: Miami Dolphins

Mike McDaniel’s offense was one of the best in the NFL last season. Utilizing the Shanahan zone-blocking scheme while mixing in gap concepts allowed the Dolphins' speedy RBs to hit home runs. The Dolphins had the most 20+ yard runs in the league last season

Wright is an ideal fit in the Dolphins’ zone-heavy scheme, where he can use his cutting ability to its maximum advantage. By running down the line and finding the right holes, Wright will hit the same big home run plays he did in college.

The Dolphins were at their best when both Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane were healthy and splitting carries. With Mostert turning 32 years old, Wright will be the heir apparent to Mostert’s role. 

The team clearly values Wright since they were willing to give up a future third-round pick to obtain him.