Crimson Tide Scouting Report: Safety Daniel Wright

BamaCentral and NFL Draft Bible team up to profile the 17 Alabama players who have a chance to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.

After a freshman season that saw him play in all 14 games, Daniel Wright suffered an injury that dramatically reduced his playing time in his next two seasons. In 2020, however, Wright finally earned the starting job at safety.

To put it bluntly, he didn't disappoint.

Last season, Wright finished fourth on the team in tackles with 60. He also added three passes defended and two interceptions, with one of those being returned for a touchdown.

That being said, Wright still has a lot of room for improvement heading into his final season with the Crimson Tide. While he has proven himself capable of making stops down the field, NFL scouts have highlighted more than a couple of issues with his game heading into next year's NFL Draft.

Daniel Wright

No. 3
Pos: Safety
Ht: 6-0.2
Wt: 197
DOB: 3/25/1999
Eligible: 2022
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
High School: Boyd Anderson

Pros:

Best in two high or robbing the middle of field where he can read the quarterback and get to the ball. Undercuts routes at the sideline and has good hands to pick passes. Wright has the length to contest the catchpoint of make a play from behind receivers.

Cons:

Below average athlete who has limited range at the back end. Wright is not very dynamic in space, transitioning slowly as his feet get narrow. Does not play with urgency, looking sloppy at times. Bad tackler as he lacks physicality, tackles high and is not twitchy to adjust angles late. Eyes are inconsistent, getting stuck in the backfield and causing him to be out of position. Wright is not an enforcer when rotating down into the box.

Summary:

Lanky safety who lacks desired athleticism and physicality. Wright does not cover much ground and fails to tackle ball carriers reliably. He plays conservatively, picking his spots for when to be aggressive, preventing him from having more ball production. Wright projects as a potential practice squad safety who is tough to project to a special teams role given his lack of physical traits.

Grade: 5.0 (current)/5.5 (potential)

BamaCentral Analysis:

Wright has great hands, making him a constant threat to pick passes. He consistently undercuts routes and has the length to contest the ball with opposing wideouts. He is best, however, in the middle of the field where he can easily see and read the quarterback. That being said, Wright is undersized and, because of that, lacks range. While he has proven effective at getting to ball carriers, his tackling technique remains sloppy — likely due to his size. He also gets caught off guard quite often when he overcommits to the backfield, causing him to be out of position. Wright has the potential to be a late-round pick, but his size and lack of consistency could prove to see him fall further down the draft boards barring a shift in improvement this season.

Crimson Tide Scouting Report is a 17-part series on Alabama's prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft, with evaluations by NFL Draft Bible and analysis by BamaCentral. Check out his profile on NFL Draft Bible.

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