2023 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Darnell Wright

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Darnell Wright, 6-4/315 Offensive Tackle Tennessee

Darnell Wright Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell

Strengths:

Reliable pass protector

Has quick-enough feet

Can bend at the knee

Agile to wall off speed rushers

Can kick slide to block speed rushers

Good length

Anchors against bull rushes

Shows recoverability against bull rushes

Quality run blocker

Contributes in the ground game

Can manipulate and tie up defenders as a run blocker

Sustains blocks

Strong hands

Physical

Fighter; physical demeanor

Quality technique

Quick out of his stance

Quality feet

Sustains blocks

Awareness

Lots of experience

Weaknesses:

Gets in trouble when his weight gets over his toes

Less than ideal speed for a left tackle

Less than ideal feet for a left tackle

Less than ideal athleticism for a left tackle

Might be limited to right tackle

Summary: The Tennessee Volunteers offense and quarterback Hendon Hooker had a prolific 2022 season, rejuvenating the once-great program with an epic win over Alabama. Hooker could not have had a huge year without good play from the offensive line, and Wright did a superb job in 2022.

Wright entered the starting lineup as a freshman, getting five starts at right tackle. He stayed at right tackle in 2020 before moving to left tackle in 2021. As a senior, Wright was back on the right side and was one of the top offensive linemen in the SEC.

The strong and physical Wright has the skill set to be a starter in the NFL, including quality size, athleticism and quickness. In pass protection, he has enough agility on the edge to neutralize speed rushers. While he is not an elite athlete or especially fast, Wright is quick out of his stance and gets in position to wall off defenders. When taking on bull rushes, Wright gives up little ground and is able to anchor with lower body strength to keep himself from getting pushed into the quarterback. Helped by solid technique, Wright gets good depth in his drop and is able to play the typewriter with his feet to mirror speed rushers. Wright has quality feetm and while they’re not elite, they’re above average.



In the ground game, Wright is nasty at the point of attack. He can knock defenders backward and drive them off the ball. Wright has the strength to control, turn and manipulate defenders at the point of attack. With violence and tenacity, Wright will finish off opponents and pound them into the turf. While Wright is a mauler, he is able to hit blocks on the second level and able to kick out to the perimeter. Aided by a fighting temperament, Wright blocks through the whistle and sustains his blocks. He should be a solid run blocker in the NFL.

Wright has a shot at sneaking into the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He looks safe to go in Round 2 if he is not selected on the opening night of the draft.



Player Comparison: Taylor Moton. For the NFL, Wright reminds me of Moton. Both are athletic right tackles who have enough quickness and athleticism to match up against speed rushers with the strength to anchor. They both are solid run blockers as well and show some physicality. Moton was a second-round pick in 2017 out of Western Michigan, and Wright could be a second-round or late first-rounder in the 2023 NFL Draft.

2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Choose Player 2023 NFL Draft Player Previews - Home Devon Achane, RB, Texas A&M Adetomiwa Adebawore, DE, Northwestern Jordan Addison, WR, USC Will Anderson, DE, Alabama Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Kansas State Steve Avila, G, TCU Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland Micah Baskerville, LB, LSU Keeanu Benton, DT, Wisconsin Matthew Bergeron, OT, Syracuse Mekhi Blackmon, CB, USC Kayshon Boutte, WR, LSU Brian Branch, S, Alabama Julius Brents, CB, Kansas State Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson Chase Brown, RB, Illinois Sydney Brown, S, Illinois Jack Campbell, LB, Iowa Jalen Carter, DT, Georgia Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA Malik Cunningham, QB, Louisvile Gervon Dexter, DT, Florida Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina Max Duggan, QB, TCU Jaelyn Duncan, OT, Maryland Zach Evans, RB, Ole Miss Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Notre Dame Isaiah Foskey, DE, Notre Dame Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon Derick Hall, OLB, Auburn Jaren Hall, QB, BYU Anton Harrison, OT, Oklahoma Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor Antonio Johnson, S, Texas A&M Paris Johnson, OT, Ohio State Quentin Johnston, WR, TCU Broderick Jones, G, Georgia Dawand Jones, OT, Ohio State Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah Sam LaPorta, TE, Iowa Will Levis, QB, Kentucky Quan Martin, CB, Illinois Cody Mauch, G, North Dakota State Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame Will McDonald, DE, Iowa State Kenny McIntosh, RB, Georgia Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford Kendre Miller, RB, TCU Jonathan Mingo, WR, Ole Miss Cam Mitchell, CB, Northwestern Malachi Moore, S, Alabama Mike Morris, DE, Michigan Wanya Morris, OT, Oklahoma Myles Murphy, DE, Clemson Luke Musgrave, TE, Oregon State Zion Nelson, OT, Miami B.J. Ojulari, OLB, LSU Demarvion Overshown, LB, Texas Owen Pappoe, LB, Auburn Jarrett Patterson, C, Notre Dame Clark Phillips, CB, Utah Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State Anthony Richardson, QB, Florida Kelee Ringo, CB, Georgia Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas Chris Rodriguez, RB, Kentucky Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas Noah Sewell, LB, Oregon Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson Peter Skoronski, OT, Northwestern Cam Smith, CB, South Carolina Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan Nolan Smith, DE, Georgia Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State John Michael Schmitz, C, Minnesota Tyler Steen, OT, Alabama Tyrique Stevenson, CB, Miami C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee Joe Tippman, C, Wisconsin O'Cyrus Torrence, G, Florida Henry To'oTo'o, LB, Alabama Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC D.J. Turner, CB, Michigan Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State Tyree Wilson, DE, Texas Tech Darnell Washington, TE, Georgia Keion White, DE, Georgia Tech Devon Witherspoon, CB, Illinois Darnell Wright, OT, Tennessee Bryce Young, QB, Alabama

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