Jaylen Wright – May 10, 2024
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Friday, May 10, 2024
RB Jaylen Wright
(As if this team didn’t need any more speed, you bring in more speed. How much has that been in your mind since you got drafted?) – “Being here with all of these guys, star players, players that I grew up watching, it just means a lot. Just to be mentioned in the factor of having speed, that just means a lot to me. I’m just blessed to be here, and I’m excited for what’s coming for me.”
(Who are those guys you think about the most?) – “Now we got Odell Beckham Jr., ‘OBJ.’ We got Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Tua (Tagovailoa). I think I was a freshman in high school when Tua was at Alabama. It’s good to be here, I’m excited. I’m just ready to go.”
(How about your room with RB Raheem Mostert, obviously a veteran guy who can fly, and RB De’Von Achane who last year was in your shoes?) – “Both of those guys, they are really good guys, great players. I’m excited just to be able to share the rock with them. I’m excited to be that trio that will be out there making a lot of plays this summer, this fall and this season. I’m just ready to go, and I’m just ready to prove to everybody that I belong here.”
(RB Raheem Mostert saying that he’s ready to help coach you and guide you in this process. What does that mean to have a vet like him who had put in the hard work for the past couple of seasons?) – “It means a lot. Raheem (Mostert) is somebody I’ve studied watching film back in college. He’s a guy – I’ve been knowing him for years. Just from him saying that, it just means a lot. It puts a warm feeling on me that I’m welcomed. I’m just ready to meet those guys and work with them.”
(You are the fourth Jaylen on this team. How did you feel when you found out you’ve got LB Jaelan Phillips, WR Jaylen Waddle, CB Jalen Ramsey, just being a part of that Jaylen mix?) – “Four Jaylens, that’s a lot of Jaylens. I guess that gives us that connection. I’m ready to meet my other fellow Jaylens, so I’m just ready to go.”
(What was it like to put the jersey No. 25 on, an NFL jersey for the first time today?) – “It felt great. This is a dream come true. No. 25, I feel like I look good in it. I’m going to make it look good, I’m just blessed.”
(The last guy that wore that is kind of a Dolphins legend. Do you know anything about CB Xavien Howard?) – “Oh yeah, of course. He’s a guy, a dude – somebody that was very good in the NFL. Somebody that I know, he’s a big-name guy. I’m just excited to wear the number that he repped for a long time and make a lot of big plays in it.”
(You talked about watching RB Raheem Mostert film. What do you think it is about the Dolphins offense that fits your skillset?) – “Just the way that they like to create space for the running backs, space for everybody. They got the receivers to spread everybody out to make the defenses drop back in coverages and stuff like that. That just makes it better for the running backs. Just the system and everything we do, I feel like it’s perfect for me.”
(When was the first time you knew you were the fastest guy on the team? Has that changed now that you are in Miami?) – “The first time I knew I was the fastest guy was probably when we were doing GPS numbers in the summer. Now we all know we got Tyreek Hill. I’m not going to come in here and say I’m the fastest guy here. I know I’m fast, but we got a lot of elite guys here that are really fast. I’m just excited, just happy to be here.”
(You mentioned watching film a little bit last year. What excites you about the usage of the running backs here compared to other teams?) – “The way they use the running backs. Like I said, they like to use running backs to their skillset. I feel like they will put me in positions where I’m getting open in space, whether if it’s in the backfield or in the slot catching the ball, receiving the ball. I feel like it’s good here running back wise and can make a lot of big plays as a running back here.”
(It’s only rookie camp. Are you kind of disappointed that the vets aren’t here and you don’t get to be around those guys? Is it an anticipation that you can’t wait to see all those guys here?) – “I know it’s rookie camp. It’s mainly for us. I’m going to see the vets when I see them. Excited to see them, excited to be welcomed into a great squad like this.”
(According to the Combine and Pro Day 40-yard dash time. You’re actually only the sixth fastest Dolphin. What did you think when you saw that or when you hear it now?) – “At the end of the day, I know I’m fast, but like I said, there are some extremely fast guys here. I mean really, really fast. That’s props to them for running a really fast 40 (-yard dash). But I know what I ran and running that at my size is not easy. I know I’m fast too.”
(Sometimes it takes running backs a minute to adjust to the NFL. What does it tell you that Head Coach Mike McDaniel trusted RB De’Von Achane as a rookie? What does that tell you?) – “It tells me he has a lot of trust in his guys. It tells me when he’s drafting somebody, he’s doing it for a reason. I feel like I’m somebody that he trusts. I’m ready to prove my point on the field and gain that trust not only from the coaches, but my teammates as well. I’m really excited to make big plays.”
(Have you ever been to Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach?) – “Yeah. I’ve been here before. We’ve played here before.”
(You said that you studied RB Raheem Mostert going back to college. What was it that you picked up from his game that you noticed or saw?) – “Just the way he’s fast and physical. He has great contact balance. He’s somebody that’s elusive, somebody who is just really good. In open space, he gets scary. I was watching some tape of him when he was on the sideline. He hopped on the sideline and still scored. Just stuff like that, just being the player he is. He’s a great player, a great athlete, I’m ready to learn from him.”
(I wanted to ask you about Tennessee. Obviously, you guys shared the backfield there. I’m sure when you were sharing it you weren’t a big fan of it, but now that you see you have low odometer on your clock because you don’t have that many college carries. Do you look at it as something that benefits you?) – “Oh yeah, for sure. You said I didn’t like sharing it at Tennessee, I enjoyed it. I like to see my other guys eat and get the ball. We’re all eating, and I feel like that’s going to be the same way here. I feel like whoever gets on the field is going to make big plays. I like it. Yes, it does keep us fresh. I feel like that’s the new (inaudible). Three backs, three great backs, I feel like that’s really good to have.”
(You and LB Mohamed Kamara were candid on draft day talking about you’re fueled by the fact you fell to the third day. You’re obviously extremely talented and fast. What did you hear in the draft process were concerns by any team in terms of why you fell to Round 4?) – “I didn’t really hear nothing. I don’t know. The draft can go anyway, I don’t know. It happened how it did, but at the end of the day, I feel like I ended at the best spot for me, the best situation. I’m just happy. I’m blessed. I’m going to keep that chip on my shoulder to remind these teams why you shouldn’t have passed. They let a great team get a dawg, so that’s on them.”
(Most football players are obviously very fast and ran track, but this team is something special. You’ve got pretty much a 4×1 track team and now added you. Can you just talk about this team’s speed here? How happy are you to be a part of something this explosive?) – “Yeah, this team’s speed is extremely fast. We got a lot of fast guys – the guys I play on Madden with that are glitchy on Madden. It means a lot, and it means even more to be a part of it. I’m just happy. I’m just blessed.”
(Have you found a condo or an apartment at the beach or anything like that? Or are you not a guy who wants to go to the beach right away?) – “Yeah, I’ve been looking at stuff. I haven’t found anything yet. I’ve been looking at stuff. One of these days I’m going to find me a realtor, somebody to help me get settled.”
(Do you have a plan to be careful with your money? Because I’m not very good with my money.) – “Oh yeah, of course. I have a financial adviser. I’m not somebody who’s going to go out and buy a million things and just spend all of my money. I’m just going to save and invest. I’m just going to be smart with my stuff.”
(The outside zone run scheme has been real successful in the NFL going back to the Terrell Davis Bronco days. I think about what he used to do with the one cut and go. Have you looked at video of this scheme? How do you think it aligns with your strengths?) – “With my strengths, I feel like I’m the type of running back that doesn’t do a lot of dancing, a lot of cutting and stuff. I’m one cut and go – that’s just me. I feel like this offense is going to utilize my speed, and I feel like I’m going to be used the right way. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
(Any history behind the No. 25?) – “No, just the number I ended up with. I’m glad to have it. The last person that wore it, he’s a great player here. I’m just ready to make it look even more great.”
