DARNELL WRIGHT | Tennessee 6053 | 333 lbs. | 4SR Huntington, W.Va. (Huntington) 8/20/2001 (age 21.69) #58
BACKGROUND: Darnell Wright grew up in Huntington and started playing football at the youth level as a linebacker. After not playing football in middle school,
Wright returned to the sport in high school and initially tried out at tight end, but the coaches moved him to the offensive line. At Huntington High School, he became
the starting left tackle as a sophomore and was named Second-Team All-State while also playing at defensive end. As a junior in 2017, Wright led Huntington to a 12-
1 record with the lone loss coming in the playoff semifinals. He earned First-Team All-State honors and the Stydahar Award (as the top lineman in the state), adding
48 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble on defense. As a senior, Wright again earned First-Team All-State honors and made multiple All-
American teams. He was also a standout on the Huntington basketball team and lettered in track. Wright placed first in the shot put (54’1.5”) at the 2018 state
championships.
A five-star recruit, Wright was the No. 2 offensive tackle in the 2019 recruiting class (behind Evan Neal) and the No. 1 recruit in West Virginia. He ranked as the No. 10
overall recruit in the nation. After only two prep starts at left tackle, Wright received his first scholarship offer (Marshall) as a sophomore. He was highly sought after
by many of the top programs, including Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, USC and several others. Despite a late push from West Virginia, Wright committed to
Tennessee and he was the top-ranked recruit in the Vols’ 2019 class (just ahead of Wanya
STRENGTHS: A large-framed blocker with a thick torso and functional mass … raw power courses through his body … competes with a patient, yet physical mindset
and unleashes controlled violence when he sees the opportunity … strikes with a stiff, full-extension punch to knock rushers off balance … able to knock down the
reach of rushers and flashes the grip strength to snatch … has enough quickness to shut down the corner … rarely bullied … reworks his balance for quick recoveries
after a misstep … keeps his feet and hips on the same page in the run game … his heavy hands allow him to displace defenders … made an impressive jump in
performance between his junior and senior seasons, decreasing his penalties from 10 in 2021 to only two in 2022 (one false start, one holding) … has starting
experience inside at guard and at both left and right tackle … finished his college career with 34 straight starts.
WEAKNESSES: Top heavy and resorts to waist bending at times … finds his weight too far out in front when he overextends, inviting defenders to toss him … his
outside foot drifts, leaving him late to react versus inside moves … his hand positioning lacks discipline and he needs to stay more compact to answer different kinds
of rush moves … improved movement skills and knee bend, but lacks consistent twitch in his redirect … has trouble coming to balance on the second level … relies
more on brute strength as a run blocker than leverage points.
SUMMARY: A four-year starter at Tennessee, Wright lined up at right tackle in head coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo, spread offense. After moving to the offensive line
as a sophomore in high school, he fell short of expectations his first three years in Knoxville. But everything clicked, especially in pass pro, when he moved to right
tackle as a senior (didn’t allow a sack in 2022 and quieted Will Anderson on the Alabama tape). With his extraordinary power and torque, Wright creates a surge in
the run game with the physical hands to latch, drive and displace. While he is susceptible to inside rush moves, he reaches his landmarks and stays square as a pass
blocker, relying on his length, punch and stout anchor to stalemate rushers. Overall, Wright will get himself into trouble when he sacrifices technique for his nasty
demeanor, but he naturally defaults to his raw power and body control
