Height: 5-10
Weight: 190
40 Yard Dash: 4.32
A four-year starter, Kendall Wright was a three-star athlete out of high school, choosing Baylor over Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas A&M. He saw immediate action in 2008 as a true freshman (8 starts), recording a team-best 50 catches for 649 yards (13.0) and 5 scores (all school freshman records). Wright saw more playing time in 2009 as a sophomore with 11 starts, finishing with a team-best 66 catches for 740 yards (11.2) and 4 touchdowns, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors. He again led the team in receiving in 2010 as a junior (11 starts), recording 78 receptions for 952 yards (12.2) and 7 scores, earning Second Team All-Big 12 honors. Wright had his best season in 2011 as a senior with 12 starts, finishing second in the Big 12 with 108 catches for 1,663 yards (second in the NCAA) (15.4) and 14 touchdowns, earning First Team All-Big 12 and Second Team All-American honors. He finished his collegiate career with almost every school receiving record.
Wright was a do-everything weapon out of high school and was recruited as a QB, RB and CB before earning a starting WR job as a true freshman, also played on the Baylor basketball team in 2008. He is a gifted, all-around athlete who explodes to full speed with the body fluidity and foot agility to burst in any direction ? exceptionally quick footwork and gets upfield in a hurry. Wright creates separation with his dynamic qualities and is the best deep threat in this draft ? Baylor?s go-to target for four years and the type of player where the game appears to slow down for him. He lacks ideal size for the next level and isn’t yet a polished WR, but he is a playmaker with the ball in his hands and makes things happen at all levels of the field ? a first round lock and one of my favorite players in this draft class because of his natural skill to start and produce from day one as an X or Y receiver in the pros.
ANALYSIS
Release: An impressive athlete with very quick acceleration to reach his top speed quickly and stretch the field. Very good body control and smooth movements. Plays fast and explosive. Short and lacks an imposing frame. Smaller target and didn?t see a lot of press coverage in the Big 12.
Hands: A savvy, natural hands-catcher with reliable hands and very good focus. A natural plucker who snatches the ball out of the air and shows the concentration to make acrobatic catches look easy. Does a nice job locating and tracking deep passes and is a legitimate vertical threat. Will go up and attack the ball, catching the ball in stride and quickly getting downfield ? looks to score every time he touches the ball. Has smallish hands and will have some drops.
Route running: Has a knack for getting open and is a quarterbacks? best fiend ? passers just need to toss the ball in his area and he?ll come down with it. A versatile weapon, proving to be effective inside in the slot and outside on the perimeter. Makes plays at all levels of the field. Still improving as a route runner and needs to do a better job selling his path ? needs to sell slants and in-cuts better.
After the catch: Has elite balance tight-roping the sideline and in-and-out of his breaks, showing excellent start/stop ability and burst ? slippery runner with elusive footwork. Has little-to-no wasted movements between the reception and burst upfield ? dangerous after the catch with solid build and toughness to break tackles. Has good body strength to squirm out of tackles with the coordination to maneuver his frame between defenders. Shifty and elusive in the open field with very good vision. Creative with the ball in his hands and shows impressive feel for where he is on the field and the defenders around him.
Blocking: Wright has good playing strength for his frame and takes pride in his blocking. Very physical and aggressive.
Intangibles: Fearless over the middle and does a lot of his damage between the hashmarks. Wants the ball more than anyone else on the field. Confident and tough, playing through several injuries over his career. There is a lot to love about his effort and drive ? a top competitor who gives full effort on every snap. A fiery leader who plays with football intensity and determination ? type of player who will run through a wall for his team. Smart and shows elite feel and focus for the position. Has very good starting experience (42 starts), leading Baylor in receiving all four years of his college career. A versatile weapon (former high school quarterback) with 2 career passing touchdowns, 2 rushing scores and experience as a returner on special teams. Extremely productive over his college career, holding almost every school receiving record and finishing his time at Baylor with 302 catches, 4,004 yards (13.3), 30 receiving touchdowns and 19 career 100+ yd receiving performances ? had at least two catches in every game Baylor played the past four years (50 games). Has some durability concerns, battling through ankle, shoulder and knee injuries as a senior. Has received penalties in the past for excessive celebration and needs to keep his emotions under control. Played in a high-tempo, spread offense with the Heisman Trophy winner as his quarterback so his statistics might be inflated a tad.
NFL Comparison: Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers
— Dane Brugler, CBS Sports
Chicago Bears 2012 Nike Vapor Jet Gloves
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1 Comment
Another guy I’d love to see play for the Bears. It would be nice to pick him up in round 2. I think they should also add a FA vet that can be the No. 1 right away.