The Devy Digest, featuring Tennessee Running Back Jaylen Wright.
- Jaylen Wright
- Position: Running Back
- Tennessee Volunteers
- 5’11” 210 lbs
- Age: 20
- Draft Eligible: 2024
- Devy Digest RB 2024 Draft Rank: 6
Who is Jaylen Wright?
Jaylen Wright was a 3⭐️ in the composites. He attended Southern Durham High in North Carolina. Wright was a dual sport athlete who competed in track and field – where he specialized in the 55m dash, clocked at 6.29 seconds. Which, in 2019, was the fastest time in the country when Wright was just a Junior. On the football field that same year, Wright ran for 901 yards on 89 carries and 5 touchdowns. Wright did not play football in 2020 as football activities were cancelled due to COVID19 restrictions.
Jaylen Wright held 11 offers before ultimately choosing the University of Tennessee. Per their website, Wright models his game after Alvin Kamara. Wright was an early enrollee to Knoxville, participating in Spring Camp and the Spring Game in 2021. He made nine appearances as a True Freshman and showed that missing a year of football was not a hindrance.
Wright’s breakout game came against Vanderbilt. He rushed for 112 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. Due to his immediate impact as a True Freshman, the Vols would lean on him the very next year. In 2022, as a Sophomore, he led the team in rushing yards with 875. This past season, Wright became an all-around back, leading the team in carries (137) and yards (1013), while catching 22 passes.
Strengths
Jaylen Wright brings some tantalizing traits. He’s a patient runner that allows his blocks to form when called for. Wright brings good vision behind the line of scrimmage and will utilize his track background to quickly get through the first level. He’s cognizant of lowering his pads to help absorb a defender and get to the second level. Wright has good enough play strength and contact balance to get through the line before using his lateral agility and quickness to get to the edge. Wright had 592 of his 1,013 rushing yards come after contact.
I’ve watched my first four games of 2024 NFL Draft RB Jaylen Wright
I’ve gotta say so far, I’m impressed
This young man has some 🧃 pic.twitter.com/8D3pzcTLnB
— JC (@JCJDynasty) January 21, 2024
This next piece we do take with a grain of salt, but Wright has been clocked at over 23mph in practice. While the true number might be exaggerated, that speed shows itself in the afternoons – as Wright has the ability to take it to the house every time he has the ball in his hands. Like most track athletes, Wright is very dangerous in space. He can create and get to his destination with a combination of lateral quickness and acceleration to get vertically.
Tennessee RB Jaylen Wright has some serious speed. First play against Georgia, outrunning angles. Solid blocker as well at 210 pounds pic.twitter.com/0m40jaV0TB
— Joey Richards (@JRDrafts) January 20, 2024
Tennessee used Wright as a pass-catcher this past season and it really helped complete his profile. It added to his versatility to be able to be in any kind of situation at the next level. He’s been effective as a runner throughout his High School and Collegiate career. In SEC play as a True Sophomore and Junior he averaged 6.0 and 7.4 yards per carry with over 135 carries in each of those seasons.
Areas of Improvement & Concern
While Wright has good enough play strength, physicality isn’t really his game. Wright is more of a space creator than a bruiser. Getting the 3rd and 1 at this point of his game would not be between the tackles, but rather getting to the edge. Wright’s build should allow him to add on an additional 5-10lbs of clean weight, but not much more.
There is a concern that at the next level, Wright will be viewed as a RB2 that will only get about 10-12 touches per game; becoming more of a returner than a featured back. It could be a Tony Pollard situation, where Wright is explosive and fans clamor for him to be the RB1. If that happens, it may leave a less than desired taste in everyone’s mouth.
Devy & C2C Value
Jaylen Wright likely went undrafted in Devy leagues. Tennessee uses a committee approach and there were probably more valuable pieces during the draft. He’s likely to be available Devy NFL rookie drafts and in that format should be a first round pick.
In C2C formats, it is likely that he is already rostered. He was a viable flex play and I would hold him if you have him in that format. With the running back class being less than ideal, it is within the range of outcomes that Wright will be a top 5 RB selected in the NFL draft. If you don’t have shares of him, you should try to acquire some.
NFL Outlook
The running back position has been devalued across the board. It’s likely he’s a Day 2, Day 3 RB in the NFL draft. We know Wright should test well, and that could vault him over some of the other running backs in this draft class. He’s also just 20 years old with a clean medical background.
It’s a very muddy picture at the moment. Wright could be a sleeper that rises and gets decent draft capital. How I view the draft for running backs, is you enhance them by about a round and a half. Therefore, if Wright is selected late in the third, it’s more of a mid-second in my valuation. That also puts any running back selected before pick 45 as a true potential asset from day one. We have seen that recently with Kenneth Walker, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs.
After the first tier, it’s an interesting divide. You have a bucket of older backs and some with medical concerns such as MarShawn Lloyd, Re’Mahn Davis and Trey Benson. There’s also the uncertainty group, with their ability at the next level in question – like Wright and Bucky Irving to name a couple. It’s an interesting dynamic and we’ll have to see how the NFL views them.
Andy Pham
Andy is the creator of the Devy Digest. His passion is devy and C2C. Andy's Devy Diguest articles provide insightful, yet thoughtful commentary to give you a leg up on the devy prospects so you know how to approach your devy and C2C drafts. With The Devy Digest podcast, Andy provides episodes of interesting and exciting topics and when he invites guests, you get to be a fly on the wall, listening in on two people having a conversation where they give you a different perspective. Come, join the journey that is Andy's Devy Digest.