Darnell Wright Complete NFL Draft Profile (Tennessee Tackle's Experience Leads to Safe Floor)

Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright is eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft after finishing his senior season in 2022. A steady riser with each year that went by, Wright proved he has what it takes to compete at the highest level and could hear his name called as early as the first round in April.

Here's everything you need to know about Darnell Wright heading into the 2023 NFL Draft.

Darnell Wright Draft Stock & Mock Draft Projections

Mock draft sources accurate as of 4/12: Walter Football, Sporting News, Draft Tek, Pro Football Network, ESPN, Mel Kiper, Todd McShay

Projected Draft Round: Round 1 (6), Round 2 (1)
Projected Team: Patriots (2), Buccaneers (2), Jets (1), Steelers (1), Bears (1)

Darnell Wright Scouting Report

Wright was nothing short of consistent throughout his Tennessee career. He was named to the SEC All-Freshman team in 2019 after seeing immediate playing time and then allowed only 5 sacks in his first taste of real action (569 snaps) in 2020. He has especially shined in the last two years, though.

The West Virginia native shifted gears to left tackle in 2021 and gave up just 3 sacks and 1 hurry as he started all 13 games. Wright's best campaign came when he returned back to the right side of the offensive line and gave up 0 sacks in 2022. He was named to the All-SEC First Team for his efforts.

Highlighted strengths of Wright's game includes the power and grip strength he possesses in his hands. Opposing pass rushers tend to have a difficult time getting off of Wright once he latches on to them. Of course, that is if those pass rushers can even make a move following his stunning punch.

Wright is not without flaws as he could upgrade his game by shedding some weight to improve his lateral movement along the line. He struggles to get to the second level during rushing plays at times as well, but Wright has the upside of a lineman that can make an impact at the NFL level right away.

Darnell Wright NFL Draft Prediction

Experience is not something to be taken lightly when looking at college prospects and Wright played in over 2,700 snaps for the Volunteers. His technique has showed steady improvement as a result. Wright is your prototypical lineman in the fact that his game is centered on an ability to anchor down.

Wright's high floor is going to make him an intriguing target in the first round for a team that needs immediate help at either left or right tackle. The Buccaneers stick out as a logical landing spot given the loss of veteran Donovan Smith. Pairing Tristan Wirfs with a new sidekick should be a top priority.

Tampa Bay is in the perfect spot to take Wright, too. The offensive line position is headlined by big names like Peter Skoronski and Broderick Jones, which leaves Wright to fall through the cracks a bit. Picking him up with the No. 19 overall pick would fill in a substantial roster gap for the Buccaneers.

Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Round 1, pick 19)

Check out more NFL Draft content from The Duel:

Darnell Wright NFL Combine Results

Darnell Wright Tennessee Stats

Darnell Wright Tennessee Highlights

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.