2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Jaylen Wright

Strengths

• Explosive athlete with plus speed and elusiveness
• Great patience and vision and always puts himself in a favorable position
• Contact balance to maintain footing through contact and pick up extra yards
• Gets small through holes to get to the second level
• Home run hitter with open-field elusiveness
• Get him in space and watch him take over
• Was ranked No. 24 on Bruce Feldman's "Freak" list in 2022
• Short compact frame allows him to play bigger than his size
• Quick feet and can start and stop on a dime
• Only a third-year player with fewer than 400 career carries, should have a long career

Weaknesses

• Improved his receiving numbers as a junior but mostly on swing passes 
• Undersized: listed at only 5'11" and 205 lbs but could be smaller
• Needs to improve as a pass-blocker
• Patience can turn into indecisiveness behind the line
• Faced a lot of light boxes in Tennessee's spread offense
• Can he be more than an early-down back? (Albeit a good one)

Final Thoughts and Chicago Bears Fit for Jaylen Wright

As mentioned in my Ray Davis scouting report, the Chicago Bears currently don't have a pressing need at running back with Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson on the roster. Additionally, there's a possibility that Ryan Poles might bring in current free agent D'Onta Foreman or another veteran running back.

However, the Bears need more speed and athleticism in the running back room. Wright made Bruce Feldman's freak list in 2022, in which Feldman wrote the following:

"He had a good debut season in 2021, rushing for 409 yards and four touchdowns, but figures to be even more of a weapon in Josh Heupel’s system. The 5-11 Wright is up to 200 pounds but displayed some serious juice this offseason, clocking 23.6 mph in practice. Beyond that, Wright vertical-jumped 44 inches and did a 10-8 broad jump."

Considering that Herbert is entering the final year of his contract and might not be retained unless he agrees to a team-friendly deal, adding a player like Wright with his big-play ability and explosiveness could significantly open up the offense. Such a weapon would be a valuable asset in the development of a young quarterback.

Interestingly, Wright could be an ideal replacement for Herbert, given their similar playing styles. Both aren't particularly big but excel in early-down roles. However, Wright brings additional explosion and home-run potential, showcasing a higher ceiling.

Despite Wright's limited resume as a receiver — primarily used on swing passes in the flat — he has demonstrated good hands and a natural ability to catch the ball in stride. There's a strong expectation that he'll continue to develop into a more effective pass catcher compared to Herbert.

For teams that share the belief, as I do, in Wright's potential to evolve into a more dynamic pass-catching threat, selecting him on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft makes sense. However, for those not as bullish on his archetype, he could potentially fall to the fourth round.

Pro Comparison: James Cook