Jaylen Wright is expected to go in the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft this weekend.
The former Tennessee football running back has drawn plenty of attention after a spearheading one of the most productive backfields in college football last season.
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Wright rushed for 1,013 yards on 137 carries in 12 games, becoming the first Vol running back to rush for 1,000 yards since Jalen Hurd in 2015. He averaged 7.3 yards per rush and nearly 85 yards per game.
In a season where Tennessee’s offense leaned heavily on its run game, Wright was often the catalyst for the Vols’ success on that side of the ball. He only scored four touchdowns, but most of those came on game-breaking runs.
Wright rattled off runs of 82, 75, 52 and 42 yards that headlined one of the most productive individual seasons in program history.
On the opening day of the NFL Draft, here are Wright’s five biggest runs from his All-SEC campaign.
Wright was often the kick-starter of Tennessee’s offense last season and its tone setter.
On the Vols’ first drive against Kentucky in Lexington on Oct. 28, Wright took a hand off around midfield and slipped two tackles before racing past the Wildcats’ defense for a 52-yard touchdown.
The score gave Tennessee an early lead and it loomed large the rest of a back-and-forth game. Wright rushed for 120 yards despite missing much of the second half with injury and the Vols escaped with a 33-27 victory.
South Carolina pinned the Tennessee offense inside its own 10-yard line after punt, but the Vols were hovering around midfield on their opening drive.
Facing third-and-1, Wright found a crease and burned the Gamecocks for a 42-yard touchdown that opened up a 7-0 lead. Tennessee never trailed.
Wright racked up 123 yards to highlight the Vols’ 41-20 dismantling of South Carolina at Neyland Stadium on Sept. 30. It was his third 100-plus yard performance in just five games.
Tennessee’s first drive stalled out near the red zone and Texas A&M drove down and scored to take an early lead at Neyland Stadium on Oct. 14.
Then Wright took over.
Wright was stopped for a loss of a yard on his first carry of the Vols’ second drive but three plays later he found an opening, ran across midfield and hurdled an Aggies’ defender for a first down.
Tennessee scored later in the drive, its only offensive touchdown in a 20-13 victory and Wright rushed for a season-high 136 yards.
Wright had electrified Tennessee’s home crowd with scoring bursts in previous games, but none sent Neyland Stadium into a frenzy quite like his first carry against No. 1 Georgia on Nov. 18.
On the Vols’ first play from scrimmage, Wright burst through the Bulldogs’ defense, split two defenders and covered 75 yards on the first play from scrimmage to give Tennessee a 7-0 lead just seconds in.
It was one of just a few highlights for the Vols in a 38-10 loss, but it showcased the kind of the play-making abilities that has attracted NFL teams over the last three months.
Tennessee wasn’t expected to have much trouble with UConn in late-season break from SEC play on Nov. 4.
It took Wright one play to show what kind of afternoon it was going to be, firing off one of his patented, game-defining runs on the second play of the game.
There was some contact just passed the line of scrimmage but it did little to slow Wright down as he went 82 yards for a touchdown to open the way for 59-3 Homecoming win.
It was tied for the ninth-longest touchdown rush in program history.
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