Can Darnell Wright Last To No. 19?

April 21st, 2023

Tennessee OT Darnell Wright.

It seems everyone and his brother believes the Bucs will draft a tackle on Thursday night.

What tackle would that be?

Most Bucs fans have Tennessee right tackle Darnell Wright circled. He didn’t give up a sack last year. And when he faced beast Will Anderson of Alabama, Wright owned him.

Former NFL scout and current NFL Network draft guru Daniel Jeremiah is really high on Wright and believes he can start right away.

“I think if you are just saying as a pure tackle, his tape is really, really good,” Jeremiah said in an NFL Media conference call yesterday. “And playing on the right side this year, everybody has talked about the fact that he took a big leap in this year, but it’s hard to find guys that are 330 pounds that move like him and are as strong as he is at right tackle.

“I think he is plug-and-play. I think he is ready to go.”

It seems the Bears have been sniffing around Wright a lot and the chatter in the Windy City is that he doesn’t get past them at No. 9.

Jeremiah believes the Steelers will grab him at No. 17.

Would Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht be motivated to trade up a couple of spots if Wright is still on the board at, say, No. 15?

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21 Responses to “Can Darnell Wright Last To No. 19?”

  1. garro Says:

    The draft is a different animal this year. I like Wright at (Left) Tackle but not enough to trade up with any draft capital this year or next. We simply have too many holes to fill. Trading back makes a whole lot more sense to me for this draft.

  2. garro Says:

    BTW Joes there are alot of GM smoke screens being put out as usual.
    Thought I saw Wright doing X in the club on TikTok last week. Just kidding
    🙂

  3. Fansince76 Says:

    The best three or four tackles may be off the board when Bucs pick.
    They will go best player available with preference in order of Edge, Safety or Tackle and if Robinson or Hooker are there they may pick one of them also.

  4. SB~LV Says:

    Nope on the trade up unless it only costs DW and a swap of draft positions

  5. Allbuccedup Says:

    If Wrights not there trade down and draft Harrison easy peasy.

  6. KnoxvilleBuc Says:

    Fortunately, I have been able to watch Wright progress at UT. He has the goods to be a top 15 pick. Great footwork, strong hands, etc. Overall, he is the best UT prospect coming out. I am not 100% on Hooker being taken that high considering health and age. A lot of big plays this year were schemed and blown coverages by opposing teams. But he is a solid QB option with a great mental makeup I just don’t see the talent level as some do to be taken that high. I would love to see Wirght become a Buc but I still think the need is the pass rush. Either way this draft will be exciting to see what goes down.

  7. Marine Buc Says:

    This is why I hope there are 5 QBs taken before we pick at #19.

  8. JN Says:

    There will be a run on tackles like always… after the run on QBs, especially considering there are not many blue chip DLs, and even less blue chip players at WR. CB and TE is DEEP. I suspect all the elite OTs are gone by 19.

    Guys I think are gone by 19
    (4 to 5) Qbs
    (4)Tackles – P Johnson, Skoronski, B Jones, D Wright
    (1)RB – Robinson
    (6)DL/Edge – Carter, Murphy, Anderson, N Smith, T Wilson, Van Ness
    and probably CBs Witherspoon and Gonzalez
    That’s 18 IF 5 qbs are gone… possible but someone may slide like Levis. Of course there will be a surprise or 2 or 3 so maybe a tackle or pass rusher slide to 19. Of course we also don’t know if JL will be wheeling and dealing, which I expect he will.be doing. Can’t wait for Thursday

  9. MadMax Says:

    He’ll probably be gone…and it would be nice to have a swiss army knife kind of player which is why I like S Aliva…he’s played RT, both G’s and C.

  10. MadMax Says:

    Avila

  11. Goatfarmer Says:

    Oh PLEASE let this guy be a Buccaneer.

  12. sasquatch Says:

    Need trade down and more picks. Trading up means less picks and fewer needs filled. That’s not where our team needs to go right now. At 19, there will be a great player at a position of need for us.

  13. Mike Johnson Says:

    Wrights stock has moved up considerably. He won’t be there for us…I don’t think.

  14. Bucs Guy Says:

    If Bucs pick Wright, he will be the RT and Wirfs the LT. Not sure if Wright (power blocker) is a good fit for the Bucs new scheme. I believe the OKU Tackle (quick feet) would be a better fit for the new offensive zone blocking.

  15. Destinjohnny Says:

    His pass blocking is average
    Will smash your face in the dirt in the run game

  16. Bucswin Says:

    Let’s see, we can draft 2 average players or 1 dominate player like Wirfs. We have enough average lineman. We need another dominate one. Had me at zero sacks allowed.

  17. BigMacAttack Says:

    I don’t see Licht moving up in round 1 unless a White trade is part of the deal. I don’t he will give up pics unless it’s 5-7 round. He has a knack for finding O linemen prospects who aren’t on the radar. I seriously believe he’s going to trade out of the first round and end up with 5 picks total in rounds 2 and 3. Evans and Wirfs are his only first rounders who have lived up to their draft status or more. The Bucs need 5 good players which he can find in the 2’nd and 3’rd rounds.

  18. ScottyMack Says:

    I don’t understand people who think trading down for more picks is the thing to do. The Bucs need people who can play NOW – not projects, most of which won’t even make the team or certainly will never be major factors.

    There is a reason players go #1 or #2. After that, you are looking at mediocrity most of the time. And yes, I realize there have been exceptions, but that’s why they are called “exceptions”. I’d rather get two FOR SURE starters THIS YEAR then pick up an entire draft of projects, hopefuls and maybes.

  19. Posey99 Says:

    In my opinion there is no really elite lineman in this class. However, there are really good ones. The difference between Paris, Pete, brodrick, wright, isnt much different than Atton or Dawand Jones. If there’s a run on tackles early. I can see Licht sliding back and taking Dewand or A-Harrison. I’d be happy with either of those guy at right tackle.

  20. Geno711 Says:

    Yes

  21. BUCman Says:

    How did trading down to pick up more picks work for us last year?? Hall is a complete bust and the best player we got was a punter. We need more quality players not quantity. And don’t REACH for a particular position because of perceived need. TAKE BEST PLAYER AVAILABLE PERIOD! If Brian Branch is the best player available at 19 then take him and don’t reach for the 5th best OT just because of need. Think long term. Right now every position is a position of need! You can’t name one position other than punter that isn’t a position of need.