Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright (RB30) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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Miami Dolphins rookie running back Jaylen Wright wasn’t thrilled he slid during the NFL Draft.
The University of Tennessee product took to social media and put the rest of the league on blast for allowing him to slide to the No. 120 overall pick, landing with one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.
Wright, who rushed for 1,013 yards last season as a focal point of the Volunteers’ offense with four touchdowns, now gets to run wild in an offense alongside the likes of Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and De’von Achane who all boast track-star speed.
During the Dolphins‘ rookie minicamp, Miami’s fourth-round pick didn’t mince words, doubling down on his draft weekend tweet.
“I’m going to remind these teams why they shouldn’t have passed [me up],” Wright said. “They let a great team get a dawg. That’s on them.”
Tennessee Volunteers running back Jaylen Wright (0) dodges Kentucky Wildcats defensive back Andru Phillips (23) to strike first with a Volunteer touchdown early in the first quarter Saturday in Lexington. Oct. 28, 2023.
There’s no question the Dolphins’ backfield got more crowded during the draft.
Wright, Achane, and Jeff Wilson Jr., but, based on the rookie’s speed and explosiveness, he has a chance to carve out a legitimate role for the Dolphins.
“Explosive back with good size and breakaway speed,” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein writes of Wright. “Wright’s running style is more linear than free-flowing, which limits his cut smoothness and elusiveness on the second level.
“His vision and aggression as an interior runner are just average, but that won’t stop him from putting yards on the stat sheet. He regularly bounced runs wide and beat the pursuit around the corner, so a move to a stretch-based running attack would be a natural fit, allowing his speed to shine.”
At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Wright is a heat-seeking missile of a back who is on a mission to show the rest of the league that he should have gone much higher than he did in this year’s draft.
Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright (Image via USA TODAY Sports)