After not being able to participate in the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl while nursing a thumb injury, former Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright dominated at the NFL Combine this past week in Indianapolis.
Wright participated in the on-field testing drills and made himself some money with a handful of impressive statistics and performances but did not do anything catching related on the field due to the healing thumb injury. Still, though, it didn’t matter. Wright’s testing numbers were enough to put the former Tennessee back as one of the quickest risers coming out of the NFL Combine.
The 5-foot-10 running back posted the best broad jump among all running backs at 11-foot-2. Wright then earned a 4.38 official 40-yard dash time, which was the second-best among running backs and the 10th-best among all players at the Combine.
Wright also had a 38-inch vertical which ranked fourth among his position group.
Did no one tell @__jw12 that leap day was on Thursday?! 🐸
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) March 2, 2024
More from RTI: Bracketology: Tennessee Splits One-Seed and Two-Seed Projections
Heading into the NFL Combine last week in Indianapolis, ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. had Wright ranked as his fourth-best running back prospect entering the draft. After the numbers that Wright posted on Saturday, though, Kiper notes the former Vol as the first big riser coming out of the Combine.
“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,” Kiper Jr. wrote on Sunday. “I have a third-round grade on him.”
You ask, @__jw12 answers. 💨
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/yco5VHJvbC
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) March 2, 2024
The 2024 NFL Draft is set for April 25-27 in Detroit Michigan, where Wright is expected to be a day two (Friday) draft pick.
