Not that it was any sort of a surprise, but Jaylen Wright absolutely dominated the NFL Combine. Tennessee’s explosive runner backed up the tape over the weekend in Indianapolis, showing out in key drills to highlight his elite athleticism.
Now, according to legendary NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., Wright could be the first running back selected next month. In his NFL Combine risers article, Wright was the first player listed by Kiper after his big day.
Read his take below.
So with (Jonathan) Brooks still recovering from the torn ACL in his right knee he suffered in November, there was a chance for the guys underneath him to rise to the occasion and that included Wright, who was my fourth-ranked back. All Wright did was run a lightning-quick 4.38 40-yard dash, which ranked second at his position, and put up an 11-foot-2 broad jump, which was best among the running backs. Plus, his 38-inch vertical leap was in the top five. Those are stellar numbers, particularly with Estime running a disappointing 4.71 40.
Wright, who rushed for 1,013 yards on just 137 carries last season, is now firmly in the mix to be the top back off the board in April’s draft. I have a third-round grade on him. (Kiper, ESPN)
It’s a bit of a perfect storm here for Wright, who could capitalize on a weaker running back class. His 4.38 40-yard dash time ranked second of all running backs in the class, while his 11-foot 2-inch broad jump ranks second EVER in NFL Combine history by a running back.
If you’ve watched Wright play, you didn’t really need to see those numbers. His speed was on display all year long during the 2023 season, playing in the lightning-fast Tennessee offense. Wright piled up 1,013 yards in a three-headed backfield, averaging 7.4 yards per carry.
With relatively low milage on him and a bulked-up 210 pound frame, Wright seems to fit the bill of what NFL teams really covet. He’s been able to clean up fumbling issues that plagued him early in his career, quickly rising up the depth chart to become the featured guy for Josh Heupel.
The consensus has been late day two for Wright — could that become early day two now? Kiper certainly seems to think so.
