Buccaneers NFL Draft Target: Tennessee Offensive Tackle, Darnell Wright

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made the tough decision to move on from former staring Left Tackle Donovan Smith this offseason. Whether you like Smith or not, most people can agree that Smith was a serviceable LT in the NFL and that can be a very difficult position to replace in the NFL today. With that being said, let’s take a look at one option the Bucs could explore at the Tackle position in Tennessee OT Darnell Wright.

Darnell Wright’s Collegiate Career

Wright has played a couple of different positions along the offensive line in his college career. Wright started all 13 games in his senior season at Right Tackle and started 9 games at the position in 2020 and 5 games in 2019. However, in 2019 Wright also started two games at right guard and started all 13 games in his Junior season at Left Tackle so there is a lot of versatility to Wright’s game.

Pro Day and NFL Scouting Combine

Wright is a crazy good athlete getting the second-highest athleticism score at the combine with a 40-yard dash of 5.01, a 10-yard split of 1.81, a vertical jump of 29”, and a broad jump of 9’ 6”. Wright is one of the more athletic offensive linemen in the entire NFL draft and fits the bill of what the Bucs look for regarding offensive line talent.

What Wright can do for the Bucs in 2023

This is an interesting question as I think there are a few options for the Bucs if they do end up drafting Darnell Wright. The first option is moving Tristan Wirfs from RT over to LT and plugging Wright in as your new starting RT. The second option you could do is keep Wirfs at RT and playing Wright as your new starting LT. The final option is to put Wright as a starter in of one the Guard positions be it LG or RG. The most likely option would likely either be Wright playing LT or RT coming out of the draft and it would be very interesting to see where the Bucs would want to place him and Tristan Wirfs on the offensive line.

Three Year-Outlook

Wright figures to be a starting offensive lineman for the Bucs right away if he were to be drafted. Wright has the athleticism and the ability/production to be a very quality starting tackle for the Bucs and will continue to grow over the next three seasons as well if drafted. By year three Wright figures to be a quality starting Tackle for the Bucs either on the left or right side.

Stock Report

Wright has already been mocked to the Bucs a lot in recent mock drafts around media circles. Wright figures to be a player taken in the second half of the first round and that viewpoint has not really changed through the draft process so far up to this point.

On the Clock…

Let us know your thoughts and opinions Bucs fans! Do you want to see the Bucs draft Darnell Wright? Let us know!