Processing / Game IQ
Pros:
•Gets to space when QB is in trouble
•Good at finding spaces in coverage
•Good IQ as a ball carrier to read downfield blocks and find space
Cons:
•Can drift on stop routes
Route Running / Catching
Pros:
•Has good vertical speed to threaten deep down the seam
•Can outrun lbs that are at a disadvantaged alignment
•Good fakes when route running
•Good hands and ball tracking to pluck the ball on higher throws
•Very low drop rate, and it improved year after year
Cons:
•Struggles with physical coverage most times
•Route running needs more finesse in general at all levels
YAC / RAC Ability
Pros:
•Secures ball post catch
•Tough runner that routinely needs multiple defenders to take him down
•Gains extra yards when falling and when DBs go low
•Good awareness to find open grass after getting the ball
Cons:
•Would like to see better contact balance
•Doesn’t break a lot of tackles or make defenders miss
Blocking
Pros:
•Blocks well if he gets his hands on in the open field
•Understands leverage but struggles to take full advantage of it
Cons:
•Lacks the aggression you would want to see
•Middling to below-average hand placement when blocking
•Slows up before contact sometimes on kickout blocks
•Doesn’t keep feet moving after contact
•Struggles to maintain blocks with power or finesse
•Got away with holding sometimes
•Struggles in the open field at times
•Gets long-armed by bigger, lengthier d-linemen
•Reaches and leans into blocks at times
Physicality
Pros:
•Can drive defenders back if he gets his hands on and keeps his feet moving
•Pretty good catch radius and jumping ability
•Good physicality as a ball carrier
Cons:
•Lacks physicality in the run game and as a route runner
•Struggles with more physical coverage
•Doesn’t seem very interested in blocking at times and just throws shoulders
Athleticism / Frame
Pros:
•Average height and weight with good lower body strength
•Good arm length, which leads to a good catch radius
Cons:
•Wasn’t super quick in and out of breaks
•Pretty slow short-area quickness
•Smaller hands
•Didn’t test at the combine or pro day
Versatility
Pros:
•Shared snaps all over the field but spent most of his snaps in-line
•A little under 50% of his snaps were spent at receiver (slot and wide)
•Had a few snaps in the backfield
•Motioned quite frequently
Cons:
•No special teams experience
Games Watched
•Week 1 vs GAST, Week 2 vs UK, Week 3 vs ARK, Week 5 vs LSU, Week 6 vs WSU, Week 7 vs OU, CFP vs UGA, CFP vs MIA
Ideal Situation:
•Dae’Quan Wright was an above-average pass-catching tight end during his time at Virginia Tech and Ole Miss. He has good top-end speed for a tight end and can definitely threaten vertically on running routes out of the slot or inline. While his route running is nothing to write home about, his hands were pretty solid throughout his career and only got better as he went through college. He has good jumping ability and can high-point balls pretty well. His biggest selling point is his YAC work, as he almost averaged a first down on yards after the catch alone. His blocking needs pretty significant work, as he lacks the finesse and power to maintain blocks and consistently loses them against d-linemen, especially those with longer arms. The Eagles picked him up as an undrafted free agent, and this gets a C grade. Wright has the tools to be a decent TE2 in time, but doesn’t fill a need for the Eagles. Similar to Eli Stowers, the Eagles don’t need another pass-catching TE, so Wright could struggle to find work in this regime.
Rating
•Processing / Game IQ – 6.8/10
•Route Running / Catching – 7.1/10
•YAC / RAC Ability – 9.4/10
•Blocking – 3.1/10
•Physicality – 4.9/10
•Athleticism / Frame – 6.5/10
•Versatility – 7.2/10
Total = 65/100 (D) Late 5th
UDFAPhiladelphia Eagles