Darnell Wright won over the Chicago Bears with his excellent tape at Tennessee and the great impression he made during a private visit last month. GM Ryan Poles became convinced he was the guy they needed to bolster the offensive line. However, one of the most persistent criticisms of the 10th overall pick was his “athletic limitations.” It’s why guys like Paris Johnson and Broderick Jones have routinely ranked ahead of him on most draft boards. Evaluators were enamored with their mobility, all the while overlooking one crucial fact.
Adam Jahns of The Athletic spoke to top Bears scout Sam Summerville about how Wright cemented himself as the Bears’ guy. One event that really caught their attention was the scouting combine. While he didn’t post the top numbers compared to other linemen, those other guys didn’t weigh 333 lbs. In that context, what Wright did in those drills was record-breaking according to modern metrics.
Wright earned an “86” athleticism score from the NFL’s Next Gen Stats after making a broad jump of 9 feet, 6 inches at an official weight of 333 pounds. It put him in the top 10 percent of offensive tackles at his weight since 2003. Wright also ran the 40-yard dash in 5.01 seconds, which was the third-fastest time among offensive linemen weighing at least 330 pounds.
He could move — and everyone in the NFL saw it now.
“We got a guy who is extremely physical, strong,” Summerville said. “He’s a really big man. I think he was 333 pounds when he weighed in and he moves like he’s 300. I mean, this guy has feet.”
Pro-Football-Reference backs this up with its own data.
They’ve kept details on the combine since 2000. Wright has the second-fastest 40-time for an offensive lineman 330 lbs or heavier in the past 23 years. He also had the best broad jump.
Darnell Wright classifies as a freak at that size.
Most men shouldn’t be able to move the way he can. Imagine what will happen if the Bears get him to drop 10-15 lbs. It is terrifying to think how much quicker and nimble he can get. The idea Wright is some throwback player is incorrect. He is well-built for the modern NFL. Based on what we’ve learned about Poles over the past two years, he covets high-end athletes. So there is no way the Bears would’ve taken Wright if they thought he was a stiff. That combine performance confirmed the tag of him being a “dancing bear.”
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Even better is that there is excellent company among players that size with such athletic capability. Chad Clifton, Marcus McNeill, and Andrew Whitworth were excellent tackles. Donovan Smith has a Super Bowl ring. Penei Sewell looks like he’s on his way to a long and successful career in Detroit. If Darnell Wright can master the fundamentals necessary for the NFL, he will be a very good or even great player for the Bears. This is why context is always crucial when measuring athleticism.
