Jarius WrightArkansas
Ht. 5-9 Wt. 176
Strengths: Jarius Wright has speed to burn. He was impressive in 2011 in his ability to play inside and outside inArkansas pro-style offense. Wright is likely a slot receiver in the NFL that shows a toughness over the middle and track speed down the seam. He tracks the football vertically as well as anyone and can get behind the defense in a hurry. He showed the toughness to take a shot and hang onto the football on many occasions. He is a savvy route runner that reads coverage very well. Ideal slot receiver in the NFL as he’ll be able to recognize coverage at the line and make adjustments. His short area quickness make him a danger in the open field as he has the burst to make defenders miss.
Weaknesses: Wright’s small frame is not conducive for getting off the line well. It shows on tape as he struggles to get off the jam and has to re-route on outside release. Concerns with the many catches that he traps against his chest. He doesn’t drop many but I would like to see him catch with his hands more.
Bottom Line: Wright is a guy that could carve a niche quickly in the NFL as a inside receiver. His football IQ is through the roof and shows impressive toughness on the underneath stuff. His speed could create matchup nightmares in the slot. I don’t see him developing into anything more than a slot guy in the NFL.
Draft Projection: Wright should come off the board in the 3rd round but could easily find a spot in the 2nd for a team in need of a dynamic slot receiver.
