*WR grades can and will change as more information comes in from Pro Day workouts, Wonderlic test results leaked, etc. We will update ratings as new info becomes available.
*WR-B stands for "Big-WR," a classification we use to separate the more physical, downfield/over-the-top, heavy-red-zone-threat-type WRs. Our WR-S/"Small-WRs" are profiled by our computer more as slot and/or possession-type WRs who are typically less physical and rely more on speed/agility to operate underneath the defense and/or use big speed to get open deep...they are not used as weapons in the red zone as much.
Our Quick Hit (QH) scouting reports are a modified/shorter version of our full-scale reports. On these Quick Hits, I look at a lesser amount of tape and write a shorter amount of flowy words – these are usually designed more for sleeper prospects that I want to get more acquainted with and if something really jumps out, I’ll go deeper. It’s just me trying to get in and get out and deliver the pertinent notes to you for your consideration and for review later if they start to make waves in a year or two.
I’ll do a chunk of these pre-Draft and then more after the Draft, going through the players that caught my attention in the draft (because of how high they were taken) or that I stumble across in training camp or the preseason that catch my eye.
Most of my notes on these Quick Hits will be short and sweet bullet points versions of our full-scale reports. Enjoy…
============================
I’m a Wright fan since preview scouting him for the East-West Shrine game. I’ve been wanting to find out more with a deeper study, so here we go…
BACKGROUND…
6’1”/216
2018 Special Teams All-American…3 return TDs (2 punt, 1 kick)
RB in 2016/Fresh., converted to WR fully 2017-2019.
AAC Conference Honor Roll player
2020 East-West Shrine Bowl (best WR that I saw there)
GAME TAPE & RANDOM NOTES…
-- Uncanny vision with the ball…always seems to find holes, seams, gaps to run through or cut back into in the return game or on jet sweeps or after the catch.
-- Excellent feet off the snap as a wide receiver. Can get open on anybody. Great, sharp route running. Knows how to run slants, double moves, etc., at a high level.
-- Tough, physical player…willing blocker, unafraid to go over the middle and make plays, and fearless in the return game and makes tackles on special teams as well. Has a Cordarrelle Patterson-like feel to him.
-- Was awarded jersey #2 at Temple his senior year. Temple awards jersey numbers #1-9 (in order of #1 as best/tops) for the nine toughest, hardest working players on the team (player vote).
-- Wright would be a top 125 overall prospect if it were not for the one thing that may kill off his NFL future – his hands. He doesn’t have ‘bad’ hands, necessarily, in fact, he makes a lot of great catches, but he has extraordinarily small hands for an NFL WR prospect (8 1/8”).
Wright drops a lot of easy passes because of his smaller hands and fumbled 11 times over his college career (losing 4 of them). He has some amazing catches on his highlight reel…like one-handers, in heavy traffic, over-the-top – he really is a fine football player, but with occasional gaffes/drops/ball slips out of his hands too easily while running or taking a hit.
-- In general, Wright is a really, really impressive football player…but those hands are an issue.
Isaiah Wright, Through the Lens of Our WR Scouting Algorithm:
11 fumbles in his college career, lost 4 of them. Definitely, a higher rate per touch than you want to see.
Career 91 carries for 552 yards and 3 rushing TDs as an RB/jet sweeps, wildcat, etc. (6.1 ypc).
43 career punt returns, 3 punt return TDs.
Led the NCAA in punt return TDs in 2018 (2).
#3 all-time AAC in kick return average return (24.2 yards per).
#1 all-time in AAC in punt return TDs (3), and #2 in kick return TDs (2).
Averaged 6.2 catches per game the first 6 games of 2019, averaged 1.7 catches per game his final 6 games of 2019.
2020 Pre-Draft Measurables:
6’1”/216, 8 1/8” hands, 31 3/8” arms, 74 7/8 wingspan
No pre-Draft speed-agility times, due to cancelled Pro Day. Was a Combine snub.
The Historical WR Prospects to Whom Isaiah Wright Most Compares Within Our System:
It’s difficult to classify Wright because he has RB and WR skills, but probably not an NFL starter at either (though maybe at WR)…he’s more ‘unique weapon’ with high-end return skills. He is like a poor man’s Cordarrelle Patterson.
Reggie Bonnafon shows up as a match, but Bonnafon was a QB and then WR and then turned RB…a much better RB prospect (and that’s what he is in the NFL). His grade below was as a WR prospect.
|
WR Score |
Draft Yr |
Last |
First |
College |
H |
H |
W |
Power Strngth Metric |
Speed Agility Metric |
Hands' Metric |
|
5.227 |
2020 |
Wright |
Isaiah |
Temple |
6 |
1.0 |
216 |
8.16 |
6.76 |
6.03 |
|
2.138 |
2018 |
Bonnafon |
Reggie |
Louisville |
6 |
0.7 |
212 |
7.79 |
2.11 |
3.83 |
|
4.832 |
2016 |
Cooper |
Pharoh |
So Carolina |
5 |
11.1 |
203 |
9.00 |
-4.48 |
9.65 |
|
6.571 |
2018 |
Miller |
Anthony |
Memphis |
5 |
11.1 |
201 |
11.28 |
6.98 |
7.98 |
|
5.159 |
2014 |
Landry |
Jarvis |
LSU |
5 |
11.0 |
205 |
7.98 |
-4.53 |
13.28 |
|
7.251 |
2015 |
Montgomery |
Ty |
Stanford |
5 |
11.7 |
221 |
14.64 |
4.30 |
9.48 |
|
7.568 |
2016 |
Carroo |
Leonte |
Rutgers |
5 |
11.7 |
211 |
8.89 |
6.16 |
9.58 |
*A score of 7.0+ is where we start to take a Big-WR prospect more seriously. A score of 8.50+ is where we see a stronger correlation of a Big-WR going on to become NFL good/great/elite. A score of 10.00+ is more rarefied air in our system and indicates a greater probability of becoming an elite NFL Big-WR.
All of the WR ratings are based on a 0–10 scale, but a player can score negative, or above a 10.0 in certain instances.
Overall WR score = A combination of several on-field performance measures, including refinement for strength of opponents faced, mixed with all the physical measurement metrics, and rated historically in our database.
“Power-Strength” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding physical size profiling, bench press strength, etc. High scorers here project to be more physical, better blockers, and less injury-prone.
“Speed-Agility” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding speed, agility, physical size, mixed with some on-field performance metrics. High scorers here project to have a better YAC and show characteristics to be used as deep threats/to create separation.
“Hands” = A combination of unique metrics surrounding on-field performance in college, considering the strength of opponents played. Furthermore, this data considers some physical profiling for hand size, etc. High scorers here have a better track record of college statistical performance. Everything combining to project catch-abilities for the next level.
2020 NFL Draft Outlook:
Wright is too good to not be drafted, but his hands issues likely forces him to the 6th-7th-round. He could be a steal…or a frustrating hands issue too often.
If I were an NFL GM, I’d want to work with Wright, but I wouldn’t chase him. If he fell late 6th and into the 7th…I’m considering if I need help in the return game and could use him as a limited touch weapon on offense. If he goes undrafted, he’s one of my first calls. It’s not a football ability issue with him – it’s can you mask/fix his hands issue…bigger gloves, stickum, whatever...
NFL Outlook:
Could be a dangerous return guy who gets 1-2 touches a game as a WR/RB weapon (a la Cordarrelle). If he solves his hands issue, he might make it to a starting NFL WR someday…but that’s a stretch because the NFL would rather have a dull, non-impact guy catch a short pass for nothing or return a punt for no yards than a guy who is a big play threat always, but occasionally drops/fumbles the ball. That’s just the NFL mindset. Anthony Lynn would be proud to go 0-16 but have no turnovers on offense/special teams.
Wright has to fight that mindset, smart or not, ahead in the pros.
3/31/2020
