Vols OL coach tells story about Darnell Wright from UT's win against Vanderbilt that fans will love
Former Tennessee Vols offensive lineman Darnell Wright didn't start receiving a lot of national hype until this past season when he shut down Alabama's Will Anderson in UT's thrilling 52-49 win over the Crimson Tide. Anderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, was arguably the top edge rusher in the country […]
Former Tennessee Vols offensive lineman Darnell Wright didn't start receiving a lot of national hype until this past season when he shut down Alabama's Will Anderson in UT's thrilling 52-49 win over the Crimson Tide.
Anderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, was arguably the top edge rusher in the country last season. And Wright made him a non-factor for one afternoon in October.
As a result of Wright's strong senior season, he was selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the last month's draft by the Chicago Bears.
Wright is exactly what every NFL team wants in an offensive lineman. On the field, he plays with a nasty attitude. Wright is ruthless when it comes to taking on opposing pass rushers. "Gentle" is not in Wright's vocabulary when he's on the field.
Off the field, however, Wright's a big teddy bear. Fun-loving, jovial, and hard-working — all the traits that coaches love in an offensive lineman. He'll crack a joke and then crack down on pass rushers.
Wright's hard-working and fun-loving attitude was evident in Tennessee's win against the Vanderbilt Commodores in Nashville this past season.
Vols offensive line coach Glen Elarbee recently told a story to The Chicago Tribune that illustrates what kind of player the Bears are getting in Wright.
"One of my favorite memories was when we were playing Vanderbilt in the last game of the year," said Elarbee. "It was a blowout and he (Wright) had already been pulled. But then we ran into some injuries. And it hurt my heart to go grab him to put him back in. And I just looked at him and before I could even get the words out of my mouth, he nodded at me and said, 'I got you. Let’s go ride.' He’s a total team guy, just wants to be there with the guys, and he’s there for you, especially if he believes in you and he trusts you."
That story shouldn't come as much of a surprise to Tennessee fans. After all, Wright eagerly played in the Vols' win against Clemson in the Orange Bowl despite his status as a potential first-round draft pick. It's becoming increasingly common for players to sit out of non-playoff bowl games, but Wright never considered skipping the Orange Bowl.
"At a time when a lot of guys, especially as talented as Darnell, may not have competed in that bowl game, he wanted in," explained Elarbee. "I said, 'Hey, ‘Nell, man, you going to play in the bowl game?' And he was like, 'Why wouldn’t I play in the bowl game?' He almost looked at me like I was crazy for asking."
Wright has ideal size, he's tough, he's loyal, he has a history of production in the SEC, and he's more athletic than folks realize. I'm not sure what more a team could want in an offensive lineman. Chicago is certainly getting a good one in Wright.
