Stanford Junior Collin Wright Eager to Firmly Put His Name on the Map in 2024

Dylan Grausz | Aug 17, 2024

Nov 25, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (12) eludes a tackle by Stanford Cardinal cornerback Collin Wright (6) during the second quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports / D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

For the past two seasons, Collin Wright has provided a consistent presence for Stanford, being one of the players who was a holdover from the David Shaw era, and has evolved into a generational star, highly regarded in the program as one of the team’s most important players. But as he enters his junior campaign, Wright’s mission is to show that he belongs in the very league that every football player dreams of one day playing in; the National Football League.

Wright, who last year started in every game and finished the season with 61 tackles, five passes defended and an interception, cemented himself as a major piece on the defense, entering camp as a presumed starter at cornerback, has not only looked and felt even better physically but is also confident that the defense will take a major step up in 2024.

“I’m feeling the best I’ve ever felt in the past two years,” Wright said. “Going into last year, I had a couple of things that I got during camp, a couple of injuries, but now I’m fully healthy, staying on top of it and just trying to play at a high level every day. As far as the corner room, we’ve been doing awesome. Guys are getting better, a lot of guys with experience came back after last year so definitely looking forward to making big strides this year.”

Playing sparingly in his freshman campaign, only appearing in four games, last year was Wright’s first season getting significant action as a starter and now having a year under his belt, he took some areas of his game and used the offseason to work and improve, feeling even more prepared as he and his guys look ahead to week one.

“With a lot of experience from last year, I would say definitely getting better at my technique, cleaning up everything, making sure my feet are better, and making sure my eyes are better,” Wright said. “That’s what you need to be great at corner and that’s something that coach [Paul] Williams has preached this whole offseason about getting our eyes better and getting our feet better and some of those things have definitely helped me thus far and I’m looking forward to seeing how many plays [I make] in the fall with all those things.”

Wright started his college career playing for Shaw and with the implementation of Taylor and a new coaching staff, last season proved to be a bit of a learning year. Now, coming back with a full understanding of the culture and the lessons that the staff utilizes, Wright is fully bought in and ready to dominate.

“Compete,” Wright said. “That’s the biggest thing. We play a sport that takes tough skin, especially this position that we play, cornerback. We’re the most hated on the field, nobody really comes to the games to watch us except our families so keeping that mindset, keeping all the things in mind that people are trying to go out there and embarrass us every day. So just those things, just to stay locked in and really wanting to win, being a competitor.”

2024 is a big year for Wright, who is eligible for draft consideration after his junior season and as such, he has set big goals for himself, wanting to not only break out and become one of the more dominant defensive backs in the nation but he also wants to show the world that he deserves a shot at the League.

“Trying to get five picks [and] have my name up there with the top corners in the nation, of course,” Wright said. “After what I did last year, I think I’ve got a really good foundation of what I’ve done and I just want to keep building on that body of work. Like I said earlier, I want to be a pro so to be a pro, you have to do all these things on Saturday. So, I’m looking forward to going out there and making plays.”

Football is a very complex game, especially at the NFL level, and with a lot that goes into his position, Wright has made it a point to make regular film study a big area of his preparation, recognizing that sometimes the best way to get better is to watch tape and really study it.

“Especially at our position, these offenses are getting better and better over the years,” Wright said. “And I think that film for DBs and certain cues and certain aspects that you can pick up on versus the receivers and offenses in general, just helped tremendously. So that’s something I’ve done over the off-season a lot. Me, as well as the other corners and the whole defense, watching ourselves last year and making improvements. I think that’s what has elevated our game.”

A highly touted recruit out of high school, the former three-star prospect from Manvel, Texas had offers from many other notable schools in addition to his offer from the Cardinal, getting interest from schools like Duke, Arizona, Utah, Houston, and Colorado among others, but felt that Stanford provided that best opportunity for him to succeed on and off the field. Even after Shaw left and was replaced by Taylor, he has truly felt the love that is spread within the program.

“[It’s] the best of both worlds,” Wright said. “One of the best academic institutions in the world and we also get to play at a high level in a power four conference, so not a lot of schools could offer me that and coming in under a different staff, I had a different coach, coach David Shaw, he was awesome. He recruited us but since coach Taylor has taken over, it’s been another level and in similar ways, he loves all of us and wants us to be great. So just being able to play at a high level and get a world class education.”

Day in and day out, Wright and the team have to grind in order to see the results that they want, and while it can be tough, one culture point that Taylor and staff emphasize is enjoying what you do because if you enjoy what you do, it makes things go a lot smoother, which is arguably the most important thing that Wright has learned during his time playing at Stanford.

“Love what you do,” Wright said. “Love what you do everyday. Coach Taylor preaches all the time that for us to be where we want to go and to do the things we want to do in life, you have to love what you do and you can’t think of it as a job. So I think a little bit last year and just before his time, I think a lot of guys look beyond that and I don’t think we really took advantage of the opportunity and being grateful for what we have here. So I think that’s definitely one thing, loving what we’re doing and just competing.”

It is no secret that he is a special player, and while Stanford has a long list of legendary players that have played for the program, Wright wants to make sure that when he leaves Palo Alto, he leaves as not only a legend but as an icon who is talked about forever.

“Being one of the best to have played here,” Wright said. “I think that there’s been so many great corners that have played here and I want to have the honor to have a good future and be put in the same conversation as those guys.”