Tennessee football running back Jaylen Wright has likely played his final game for the Volunteers.
The junior announced Friday that he is declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft, forgoing his senior season for the chance to turn pro
Wright took the time to thank coaches, teammates and family in a statement he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Under the leadership of Coach Heupel and the Tennessee coaching staff, I have experienced exponential growth both on and off the field. I am appreciative of the trust placed in me to carry forward the vision and for the invaluable knowledge imparted, applicable not only in the game but also in life.
Carrying the VOLS spirit with me, I am pleased to inform you that my family and I have decided that the next phase of my football career will be to declare for the 2024 NFL Draft.”
Wright became the first Tennessee running back to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season since Jalen Hurd in 2015. Wright notched 1,013 rushing yards to be exact, averaging 7.4 yards per carry with four touchdowns. He ranks fifth in the SEC in rushing yards before bowl season.
Wright’s rushing numbers improved each year with the Volunteers as he was Tennessee’s feature back in both his sophomore and junior seasons. He posted a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2022 as he helped the Volunteers win 11 games for the first time since 2001.
Despite his stellar junior season, Wright is not a highly-touted prospect in next year’s NFL Draft. There are plenty of reasons why NFL teams should be interested in him though and he could shoot up some draft boards with his workouts before the event in late April.
Wright did not have the same sort of workload as some starting running backs in college football as he carried the ball 137 times in 2023 and 368 times during his Tennessee career. His numbers reflect a beyond-efficient ball carrier as well as he ranked second in college football in rushing yards per attempt this season.
