Jaylen Wright – April 27, 2024
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Saturday, April 27, 2024
RB Jaylen Wright
(I’m guessing Head Coach Mike McDaniel had something to do with this pick. Did you by chance get to meet Mike McDaniel or talk to him at all at any point in the draft process?) – “Yes, I did. I had a 30 Visit with Miami. I met the whole staff, it was cool. That was the team I really wanted to go to, which is crazy. It was the best visit I had. I’m just glad to have the opportunity to come out in South Beach and help make a difference in the team, help add that explosive element.”
(I understand you once had a roommate named Jaylen. The Dolphins have CB Jalen Ramsey, LB Jaelan Phillips, WR Jaylen Waddle and RB Jaylen Wright. Is there anything that we can call you? Do you have a nickname or anything?) – “I mean, people call me ‘J-Wright.’ It’s kind of simple. ‘J-Wright,’ or ‘Jaylen.’ I don’t really have a big nickname, but ‘J-Wright’ is what all my teammates call me.”
(If the NFL were ever to put together a 4×400 relay team, I think you’re on the winning team right now. So with already an offense with so much speed, how does that impact your game? What can you bring to that offense that already has so many home run hitters?) – “I mean it’s – just adding another explosive athlete to the offense, that just makes the offense way better than it already is. It’s going to really scary. I’ve got a lot of fire built up in me through this whole process. I’m just ready to get out there and just prove my point. Make the people feel, that passed on me, make them feel me. I’m just ready to bring that aggression to the field and make a lot of plays, a lot of big plays.”
(You caught 22 passes last year. How comfortable are you catching passes out of the backfield? How comfortable are you as a route runner right now?) – “I’m comfortable, for sure. We didn’t do a lot of route running and catching balls at Tennessee, but I’m definitely comfortable. I’m an athlete. I know I’ll make big plays, whether it’s the passing game or running game. So I’m just ready to get rolling.”
(Have you ever met RB De’Von Achane? Do you know much about De’Von Achane? The idea of you two in the same backfield on the same play, what does that unlock for Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “No, I’ve never met him but I know of him. I watched his tape in college when he was at Texas A&M. He’s a great running back who’s fast. He’s really elusive. He’s a good guy to learn from. That’s somebody that’s been here, he has a year over me in the league. That’s somebody to learn from and take a lot of advice from. I’m just ready to meet him and meet all the running backs as well.”
(You were clocked at 4.38 in Indy. What’s the fastest unofficial time you’ve ever ran?) – “Fastest unofficial, I think I ran a 4.37 or 4.36 when I was doing Combine prep. I know I could’ve ran faster in Indy, but I’m just glad to be in the 4.3s regardless”
(Have you ever had the GPS tracker? What’s the fastest you’ve got up to on that?) – “Like miles per hour wise, right? I’ve ran like 23.7 miles per hour.”
(This goes back two years ago; you had a NIL deal going and part of your logo or entire logo was dealt with “Cheetah Mentality.” Can you tell us a little about that?) – “That’s just something that me and my dad came up with a long, long time ago. I mean, I’ve always been fast. He just started calling me, ‘Cheetah.’ I already know there’s already a Cheetah on the Dolphins, so I’m going to let him have that Cheetah – that’s his thing. But yeah, it’s something my dad always said to me because I’m fast. ‘Cheetah Mentality’ is always going to be a thing, but like I said, I already know there’s a Cheetah on the Dolphins and I’m letting him have that. (laughter)”
(I was going to ask you about WR Tyreek Hill for sure. If he’s going to have the Cheetah label, have you come up with a backup? What are we going to refer to you as?) – “I don’t know yet, but I’m going to have something for sure. I like ‘Lightning,’ ‘Flash,’ or something like that. I’m ready just to get going, playing football. Just make a lot of plays, I’m excited.”
(Few teams have the diversity or complexity in the run game as the Dolphins. I’m curious how you feel your time in Knoxville prepared you to step into an offense like that and perform?) – “My time in Knoxville, especially my sophomore year and junior year, we had receivers to space out the field. That’s just something that the Dolphins do really good, just space out the field and get defenses to get out of Cover 1 and Cover 3. Get defenses to play Cover 2 and Cover 4, that’s just going to break bigger opportunities for the running backs, bigger explosive plays. That a lot – I had a lot of things like that happened in Tennessee, and I feel like that’s going to be good in Miami.”
(I’m looking at some stats here that you were No. 1 in percentage of runs that went 10-plus yards and you were No. 3 in college football in yards after contact. Do you prefer to run around guys or run through them?) – “It could be either or. I don’t feel like I have any limitations to my game, I feel like I can do anything. If it’s going around somebody, I’m going to get around them. If it’s going through them, I’m going to get through them, too.”
(In your interview after the Combine with the Tennessee Network, you stated that you’re known for your speed, agility, your pass catching and vision, but you didn’t mention pass protection. A lot of scouts and analyst have said that your pass protection is best in this draft class. Do you take pride in blocking for your quarterback, and what do you look forward to doing? Who do you look forward to hitting in the NFL?) – “Yes, of course I take pride in protecting the quarterback. You’ve got to protect the quarterback. That guy is making multiple millions of dollars – he’s just somebody that’s got to be protected. I take pride in pass protection. I feel like pass protection is a mentality thing. If you’re willing to step up and stone blockers, keep people from getting to your quarterback, I just feel like that if you have that mentality to stop them, it’s going to happen. Pass protection is a mentality and it’s a mindset. I had that this past year, and I’m going to keep having it. People I’m willing to see – there’s a lot of great linebackers in this league, there’s a lot of great DBs. I want to be able to pancake somebody that comes through the line. I just want to have a big excitement play while blocking, so I can make that statement that I’m willing to protect my quarterback.”
(On your 30 Visit with the Miami Dolphins, specifically with Head Coach Mike McDaniel, what were some of the things he raved about you?) – “He just likes my skillset. He just felt like my skillset would fit in the offense. He just felt like I’m an explosive player and I can make big plays in the offense, and I agree. So I’m just ready to get going for real.”
