Darnell Wright Impressing GMs
April 8th, 2023
Tennessee OT Darnell Wright.
Joe breathed a sigh of relief with this news.
Yes, Joe has been banging the drum somewhat for Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. Unlike (overhyped?) Gators runaround quarterback Anthony Richardson, for whom Joe was on the bandwagon last year until he showed he couldn’t throw, Hooker can sling the ball.
In the NFL’s passing league, throwing is kind of an important trait.
A second Tennessee player Joe has been hyping is right tackle Darnell Wright. The only reason Joe hasn’t gone in head-first for Wright is Joe thought he was just a right tackle.
Joe is not OK with moving Tristan Wirfs to left tackle. At all. In any way. So Joe was hoping a left tackle would checkmate any notion of fooling with the best right tackle in the game.
Well, many NFL teams believe Wright is a left tackle. Yay!!
How good is Wright? Well, playing in the SEC on a pass-happy team, Wright did not give up one sack all year. That’s pretty damn impressive. BSPN’s Jordan Reid adds additional intel on Wright.
If there’s one player who has aced the pre-draft process, it’s Wright. He displayed an improved skill set at the Senior Bowl and then stood out at the combine. And now it seems Wright could be selected in the early teens. At 6-foot-5 and 333 pounds, he has experience at both guard and tackle, and many teams feel like he can play on either the right or left side. A run on offensive tackles could start as early as No. 7 overall with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Wright might be in the early stages of that run, perhaps inside the top 15.
“There wasn’t an offensive tackle that went through a worse gauntlet of pass-rushers, and he passed the test with flying colors,” a scout told me. “He limited [Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr.] during their matchup, [LSU’s BJ] Ojulari couldn’t do anything against him, and he battled hard against [Clemson’s Bryan] Bresee in the bowl game — which most players would’ve opted out of anyway.”
Joe would even be intrigued for Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht to use one of his nine draft picks in a trade up to get Wright. You know, like a third-day pick?
Perhaps both Hooker and Wright are on the board at No. 19? How fun would that be?
Re-watched Tennessee-Alabama from last year today. Darnell Wright abused Will Anderson in that game. Anderson made some plays in the run game with his quickness, but Wright dominated him in pass protection.
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) April 6, 2023
Great fun ahead at the brand new Big Storm taproom in the heart of Ybor City! Upstairs in Centro Ybor with public parking all around. It’s big, bold and beautiful.
…Courtesy of Florida’s Elite Restoration, you can win $500 in our “Pick The Pick” contest, which was a huge hit at the 2021 NFL Draft party, plus another $500 in an additional contest. Hang with great Bucs fans, Ira Kaufman and Florida’s best craft beer and food.
April 8th, 2023 at 12:17 am
Sounds good to me. In JL we trust, but salivating at this report.
April 8th, 2023 at 12:46 am
And the Big Storm making me drool like it is at us.
April 8th, 2023 at 12:50 am
Speaking of Senior Bowl, Roschon Johnson was considered the top offensive player by many analysts. Take either or both.
April 8th, 2023 at 1:01 am
At 19, and if we’re giving Wirfs a chance at LT….yeah Im on board….I doubt he makes it to 19 though.
Two Tackles who can play either side is def a plus.
We’ll lose some draft picks by not trading down but if he’s there, its a very worthy pick.
We have too many holes and so many different ways we can go in this draft….its racking my brain lol.
April 8th, 2023 at 1:07 am
Maybe the draft stars align with us, we stay put and we get:
D. Wright
D. Washington
D. Achane
M. Garner
J. Reed
April 8th, 2023 at 3:59 am
WE NEED A TACKLE LIKE DARNELL WRIGHT..,I SAY TRADE UP TO GET HIM..WE MUST SOLIDIFY OUR O.LINE ABOVE ALL OTHER POSITIONS WITH THIS 1ST PICK..GOT TO PROTECT THE QUARTERBACK ( WHOMEVER WINS THE STARTING JOB ),GOT TO IMPROVE OUR RUN GAME TO MAKE THE PLAY ACTION PASSES WORK..I BELIEVE DARNELL WRIGHT WOULD BE A GREAT PICK FOR US..
April 8th, 2023 at 4:15 am
AN END RUSHER IS PARAMOUNT, LINEBACKER DEPTH,SECONDARY DEPTH,ALL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THIS DRAFT..WE NEED GOOD YOUNG DEPTH THAT CAN STEP RIGHT IN AND PLAY WELL AT A MOMENTS NOTICE..A SPEED RECIEVER WITH GREAT HANDS & ROUTE RUNNING ABILITY IS ALSO NEEDED TO BOLSTER OUR ALREADY GREAT RECIEVING CORPS..
April 8th, 2023 at 4:42 am
Walter Football lists Tennessee’s Darnell Wright as the #5 OT prospect (behind Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski, Ohio State’s Paris Johnson, Bama’s Tyler Steen & Maryland’s Jaelyn Duncan). They seem impressed with his 2022 results, but that was as a starting RT Joe. If we draft him, I’d think there’ll be a good chance that Wirfs will move to the LT position, and the rookie will play RT. In any event, given the need for OLinemen by almost all teams, I doubt he’ll be there at #19.
April 8th, 2023 at 5:08 am
You put. Your best tackle. At the spot where the quarterback can’t readily see the rusher. Only reason Lane doesn’t play LT is he’s not quick enough. Tristan is. You’re ok with the QB being protected by a rookie who isn’t seen as a top-10 talent, & you don’t want to move Tristan for “reasons”.
April 8th, 2023 at 6:56 am
Defense Rules Says:
April 8th, 2023 at 4:42 am
That was as a starting RT Joe. If we draft him, I’d think there’ll be a good chance that Wirfs will move to the LT position, and the rookie will play RT
DF I agree JL knows how to pick OL …. moving Wirth to LT makes more sense than starting a rookie RT at LT .
April 8th, 2023 at 7:42 am
So Joe instead of offering Wirfs an automatic pay raise to move to LT you would rather give the better job with more money to a complete rookie RT just freshly out of college to protect the blind side of your little QB?
April 8th, 2023 at 7:51 am
“At 6-foot-5 and 333 pounds, he has experience at both guard and tackle, and many teams feel like he can play on either the right or left side.”
___________
So this guy can play OT on either side, but probably the best T in the game can’t huh?
Move Wirfs and draft a RT.
Quit worrying so much Joe.
April 8th, 2023 at 7:57 am
OK with this pick, for sure….hash out the decision on Wirfs after the draft.
April 8th, 2023 at 8:06 am
So you’re unwilling to move an NFL ALL-PRO Right Tackle but you’re more than willing to move a COLLEGE Right Tackle to the blind side? That literally doesn’t make any sense.
April 8th, 2023 at 8:11 am
I see the worry, Wirfs is used to being on the right now in the NFL but if we get a RT college guy why he learns the NFL he will be also learning LT
April 8th, 2023 at 8:12 am
Wirfs is going to LT….Why? He’s dominate at RT (the *NUMBER ONE OUT THERE) and we need him to scoot that over to LT….he knows he can do it and some of us know also….ive moved on planning he’s at LT…get over it if you dont like it, sorry
April 8th, 2023 at 8:13 am
Why did we let go of Donavan so fast? We knew already!
April 8th, 2023 at 8:17 am
DonnieWatch, day 32
😬
April 8th, 2023 at 8:18 am
When we first drafted Wirfs, there was a story of him and Hainsey and others playing ‘king of the mountain’ and it was acknowledged that the king was Wirfs. What is a king to do if not find the biggest mountain to be king of? For Wirfs, at this stage, the bigger mountain is LT. You can’t keep a king down, Joe. The move isn’t just about money it’s about legacy and personal fulfillment. I imagine the king wants much more than just a one position name for himself. Imagine, The Greatest RT in the NFL or The Greatest OT in the NFL, or even better, The Greatest Offensive Lineman in the NFL.
All hail the king.
April 8th, 2023 at 8:26 am
^^^that
April 8th, 2023 at 8:27 am
Tackle and Edge. Those have to be our first two picks. I hope nobody else is thinking of anything else.
Which do we pick first? It depends upon the players available at each position when the Bucs are on the clock. I think at least four of each position are off the board by the time #19 comes up. So who could be there in the 1st and 2nd round?
EDGE Van Ness (Iowa), Hall (Auburn), McDonald IV (Iowa St), Ojulari (LSU), Anudike-Ozumah (KSU), White (GT), or Foskey (ND)
Tackle Wright (TN), Harrison (OK) or Bergeron (Syracuse)
April 8th, 2023 at 8:32 am
So an all pro can’t handle moving to LT but an unproven college kid can? Great logic
April 8th, 2023 at 8:50 am
May be similar to where we targeted Wirfs and had to give up a pick to get him. We shall see.
April 8th, 2023 at 9:05 am
He won’t be there at 19 because there will be a run on tackles like always after the run on QBs.
April 8th, 2023 at 9:14 am
Stop YELLING at us Tommy.
April 8th, 2023 at 9:33 am
Come on, Doosh. Donnie’s gone. Why continue to bring him up?
April 8th, 2023 at 9:38 am
I don’t recall anyone saying Wirfs can’t play LT. He’s an all pro, possible Hall of Famer at RT and there’s a lot to be said for the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ stance. Of course, I’m old school.
April 8th, 2023 at 9:57 am
I like Tyler Steen from Alabama more. More aggressive in the run game.
April 8th, 2023 at 10:49 am
DoooshLaRue Says:
April 8th, 2023 at 8:17 am
DonnieWatch, day 32
^^^^^^^^
Darnell Wright played Left Tackle in 2021, I think they said he had 7 or 8 holding penalties. He was so bad Tennessee moved him to RT. This guy would be WORSE THAN DURABLE DONNIE ON THE LEFT SIDE.
April 8th, 2023 at 10:51 am
gotbbucs Says:
April 8th, 2023 at 9:57 am
I like Tyler Steen from Alabama more. More aggressive in the run game.
^^^^^
I liked Steen until I heard his arm length. I think he’ll be a Guard with arms that short.
April 8th, 2023 at 10:51 am
OL at #19 works, but I’d also be OK with Herndon at #19 if he’s available.
April 8th, 2023 at 10:55 am
I am 100% OK with Wirfs moving to LT. He is an incredible athlete that will dominate on either side.
I get the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” thing, but that does not apply to a guy with his skill set. The fact is RT is vastly easier to find quality players than LT, and there is no higher quality OT in the NFL than Tristan Wirfs.
Even Smith might be OK at RT if he wants to return.
April 8th, 2023 at 11:14 am
^^^
but, but, but Joe said D Smith wouldn’t move to RT.
Let’s face it, if stiff knees Demar Dotson could play RT, Smith should be able to.
April 8th, 2023 at 11:17 am
IMHO, we need to leave Wirfs alone at right tackle.
April 8th, 2023 at 12:41 pm
I highly, highly doubt they drafted Wirfs with the idea of playing him at RT his entire career. They didn’t release Smith without having his replacement already on the roster.
Wirfs moves to LT, Goedeke moves to RT, and they draft someone else that can compete for one of the guard spots.
April 8th, 2023 at 2:34 pm
Someone has to fall, if everyone keeps rising. That’s how we got Wirfs. Fingers crossed.
April 8th, 2023 at 3:09 pm
If It Ain’t Broke, Hit It With A Bigger Hammer!! It Is A Bucs Life!
Would Love to get an OT in this draft, an LT. No need to Move Wirfs he is Dominant as an RT. Maybe not so as an LT. I understand LT makes more money than RT.
April 8th, 2023 at 3:37 pm
Sounds like the perfect Wright Tackle.
April 8th, 2023 at 6:38 pm
The whole point of moving Wirfs to left tackle is so we don’t have to use the 19th overall pick on Oline. The plan was move Wirfs to LT so we can draft a right tackle in the 2nd round. Drafting this guy at 19 or even trading up for him negates having to move Wirfs from right tackle. So either draft a left tackle at 19. Or your drafting a right tackle in the 2nd round so Wirfs can transition to Left Tackle. I hate the idea of moving Wirfs to Left Tackle. But if there isn’t a LT available that justifies the 19th overall pick. Why not fill a different need then move Wirfs to LT and draft a RT in the 2nd. I really hate the idea of moving Wirfs but I can see the sense in it. Even though there is no guarantee the RT drafted in the 2nd rd will be a viable starting RT. There’s just too many unknowns to move Wirfs in my opinion.
April 8th, 2023 at 6:51 pm
Drafting an OT in round 1 is the sane thing to do. Grab a bookend with Wirfs and then you can see what is left after round 1 to fill out the rest of the roster.