Jaylen Wright:Top NFL Draft Prospect.
Nobody saw this coming three years ago when Jaylen Wright first stepped onto campus as an overlooked three-star prospect, but here we are.
Wright is Tennessee’s top NFL Draft prospect this year, taking himself from a track-star type to a complete back ready to make a splash at the professional level.
Wright’s speed and explosion, along with a pretty low usage rate at the college level, have some NFL front offices thinking that he might just be the best back in this class.
Jaylen Wright college career breakdown
Wright actually committed to Jeremy Pruitt, signing with the Volunteers back in December of 2020. The North Carolina native was a three-star recruit, ranking 659th overall in the class, per 247Sports. Arkansas, Miami, NC State and Mississippi State were his other notable offers.
Despite a 187 pound frame, Wright was forced into an early role for Josh Heupel in 2021. Tennessee was beaten up in the transfer portal, and really didn’t have much depth in the backfield.
By the end of his freshman season, it was Wright getting the bulk of the load for the Volunteers. He flashed some of that explosiveness in those chances, leading him into a much bigger role for the 2022 season.
Splitting time with Jabari Small, Wright’s numbers made a big jump during that special 2022 season. Once he put some fumbling issues behind him, Wright ended up leading the team with a 6.0 yards per carry mark. He ran for 875 yards on the year, and was clearly Tennessee’s best option by late fall.
6.0 yards per carry moved all the way up to a staggering 7.4 yards per carry in 2023. As the unquestioned top guy in a three-headed rotation, Wright ran for over 1,000 yards as a junior. His bulked up 210 pound frame helped him in between the tackles, but he was able to keep that explosiveness in his game.