Tennessee offensive lineman Darnell Wright officially declared for the NFL Draft on Thursday. The four-year Tennessee senior announced his decision via a post on social media.
While Wright’s Tennessee career is coming to an end, the right tackle did also announce that he will be playing in the Capital One Orange Bowl with his teammates to close his collegiate career.
“It’s been an honor to be a Tennessee Volunteer for four years, and I have no regrets,” Wright said in his post. “After talking it over with my mom and my coaches, I will begin the next chapter of my career and enter my name into the 2023 NFL Draft. This place and my teammates have given me so much. Therefore, I can’t wait to take the field again one more time in the Orange and White in the Orange Bowl on December 30. See you all in Miami!”
Can't thank @Vol_Football enough it's been a hell of a time. To all my teammates that helped me get to this point can't thank y'all enough and to the fans that believed in us along the way I'm happy to say I left it better than I found it #GBO pic.twitter.com/os1YUO4KwG
— Darnell Wright (@darnell_5232) December 15, 2022
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Earlier this week on Monday, Wright also announced that he will be attending the 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Wright will make for Tennessee’s 132nd Senior Bowl attendee dating all the way back to 1951 according to UT Sports. The senior from Huntington, West Virginia follows in the footsteps of great Tennessee linemen of the past such as Trey Smith and Cade Mays.
After Reese’s Senior Bowl went ahead and made the announcement on Monday afternoon, Tennessee offensive line coach Glen Elarbee got in on the celebration with some kind words directed toward Wright.
“Really happy and proud of the way [Darnell] performed on the field to earn this honor,” Elarbee said in a tweet. “But more importantly the man he has continued to become every day!”
“The goattt big G,” Wright responded to his position coach.
The goattt big G 😎
— Darnell Wright (@darnell_5232) December 12, 2022
Heading into the 2022 season, Wright was named a preseason All-SEC Second Team selection by the coaches and the media, a third team selection from Phil Steele, and a fourth team selection from Athlon.
Coming out of the season, though, Wright was named an All-SEC First Team selection by the Associated Press and the coaches. The Senior Bowl attendee is also popping up in second-round NFL Draft projections here in December.
The 2022 Capital One Orange Bowl will take place on Friday, Dec. 30.
The 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl will take place on Saturday, Feb. 4.
The 2023 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, April. 27.
