Tennessee Football: Jaylen Wright Has Huge Day at NFL Draft Combine

Tennessee Volunteers running back Jaylen Wright had a breakout season in his final year on Rocky Top. He capped off his senior season with 1,013 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He may not be considered the best running back in the 2024 draft class, but whoever takes a chance on Wright will get a steal.

He ranked in the top four of all running backs at the combine in the 40-ard dash, vertical jump, and broad jump. He wasn't a running back who was recognized by reporters nationally or had a breakout game, but he took advantage of his opportunity at the combine to show off his skills in front of scouts from every NFL franchise.

Wright's first big-time moment at this year's combine was with his broad jump. He ranks first among all running backs at this year's draft combine with an 11-foot, 2-inch broad jump. That is unreal; even the official NFL Twitter/X account had to recognize Wright.

No running back was close to Wright's broad jump, with Louisville's Isaac Guerendo getting a respectable 10-foot, 9-inches. It is also the second-best broad jump by a running back in NFL combine history.

Wright reached sub-4.40 in his 40-time with a 3.38, which ranks him second among all running backs at the combine, only behind Guerendo. This was Wright's first opportunity to show his unreal speed at the combine.

Next Gen Stats also found that Wright was the first running back in the two previous combines to reach 15 mph within the first five yards of his 40-yard dash. Wright's speed, combined with his explosive power, will allow him to be a dynamic back for any NFL offense.

Wright's vertical jump was the worst of the three compared to his running back competition. His 38.00" vertical ranks fourth against the other running backs at the combine. While Wright didn't come into combine week expected to be one of the top running backs in this year's draft, he has proven he should be with his performance in Indianapolis.

Wright is not only athletic and explosive but also built like a tank and is not afraid of contact. Those characteristics will make him a valuable asset to many NFL franchises looking to pick up a hard-nosed, quick running back in this year's draft.