rom now until the 2023 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents Today, we’ll be profiling Oregon State CB Rejzohn Wright.
#2 Rejzohn Wright/CB Oregon State – 6’2 196
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Rezjohn Wright | 6020, 196 | 9 1/2 | 32 1/2 | 77 1/4 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
The Good
— Uses length to crowd space and disrupt receivers at the line of scrimmage
— Has patient feet in off coverage, does a nice job of being physical at the top of routes
— Does a great job of staying square in press man coverage
— Does a solid job with physical re-routes in Cover 2, forcing receivers inside to his safeties
— Does a nice job of closing to the near hip when he allows separation at the line of scrimmage
— Plays with a physical demeanor, will look to get involved in the run game and take shots at piles
— Does a great job of varying his approach in press coverage
— Dominated in a matchup against USC’s Jordan Addison
— High IQ Player, does a great job of using leverage to his advantage, forcing receivers to his help defenders in Cover 1 and 2 man concepts
— Plays with great eye discipline and pad level
— Arm length allows him to stay clean and disengage from blockers
— Does a solid job of plastering in scramble drill
— Has shown solid timing in limited reps as a blitzer
The Bad
— Can get caught hopping at the line in press coverage, must stick to step replace to maintain a powerful center of gravity
— Can occasionally get caught flat footed in press coverage
— Gets caught playing too aggressive at times in zone coverages, allowing quarterbacks to manipulate him to open up holes behind him in coverage for explosive plays
Bio
— 92 tackles 2.5 TFLs 1 sack 1 FF 2 FR 4 INTs 21 PDs
— 2022: 38 tackles 0.5 TFL 1 FR 2 INTs 11 PDs
— 2022 All-Pac-12 First Team
—2021 All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention
— Attended Laney College (JUCO) in 2018 and 2019 before committing to Oregon State for his final three seasons
— 41 tackles 3 TFLs 3 INTs 7 PBUs in his two seasons at Laney College, where he was a star of the fifth and final season of the Netflix Docuseries Last Chance U
— Played sparingly in 2020 before becoming a full time starter in his final two seasons at Oregon State
— His older brother, Nashon Wright, also attended Laney (2018 graduate) and Oregon State (2019-2020) before being selected as a third round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft
— Over two seasons in Dallas, Nashon has accumulated 32 tackles, a tackle for a loss, an interception, four passes defended, and scored a touchdown after recovering a blocked punt on special teams.
Tape Breakdown
I was first introduced to Rejzohn Wright in the fifth and final season of the Netflix docuseries, Last Chance U, where he was a member of the Oakland JUCO program, Laney College. From there, Wright took his talents to Oregon State, following in the path of his brother, current Dallas Cowboys cornerback, Nashon Wright. After a quiet 2020 season with the Beavers, Wright became a full-time starter in 2021, earning an All-Pac-12 honorable mention before gaining increased national attention in a breakout 2022 season, culminating in All-Pac-12 first team recognition.
In the modern NFL, where height is placed at a premium in evaluating the cornerback position, Rejzohn Wright’s prototype height and arm length naturally drew the attention of scouts. In evaluating his tape, his athletic prowess is immediately on display, with the ability to match receivers at the line of scrimmage with patient footwork and high level hand usage. Wright possesses a strong punch with his off-hand jam, and does a nice job of varying his approach in press coverage to keep receivers on their heels.
Wright, an extremely high-IQ player with an advanced understanding of defensive schematics, routinely does a great job of understanding his teammates assignments, and using their presence to take proper leverage and find room to take calculated risks. On the rep below, Wright weaves in his pedal, gaining width at the snap to force the receiver to work across his face, drifting inside on the fade route. Understanding that he has forced the receiver toward his help defender, Wright is able to speed turn, calmly move into a trailing position, key the quarterback, and high point the football for an impressive pick.
Working against USC receiver and former Biletnikoff award winner, Jordan Addison, Wright put together a clinical performance, staying one step ahead of the talented receiver in their isolated press coverage matchups. Playing both on the boundary and in the slot against the talented receiver, Wright worked like a champion prize fighter, setting up his opponent with patient mirror press reps, working in some off-hand jams, and eventually setting up his patented two handed jump jam.
The beauty of Wright’s approach in press coverage is that in trusting his speed and ability to carry downfield, allowing him to be uniquely patient with his footwork, able to give ground before stunning receivers with well timed punches into the chest plate. In traveling into the slot in a marquee matchup, Wright was able to showcase versatility and confidence ahead of his transition to the next level.
While he’s not without his flaws as a tackler, particularly when it comes to consistency in technique, his physicality undoubtedly translates to his ability to defend opponent run and screen game. Wright’s effort in pursuing the ball carrier is consistent and he takes proper angles of approach, consistently arriving at the point of contact with impressive physicality.
On the first rep below, Wright immediately identifies the screen, triggering downhill rapidly and closing to the near hip, finishing through Jordan Addison’s lower half to limit the screen for a short gain. On the next rep, working as the backside corner to a condensed formation, quickly diagnosing reverse and changing direction to take a proper angle of pursuit. After tracking from far hash to sideline, Wright arrives with physicality to drop the ball carrier after a gain of just over ten yards.
Backside cornerbacks are responsible for preventing ten to fifteen yard runs from becoming explosive play touchdowns. Wright’s consistency in effort and physicality in defending the run game should translate to the next level, giving him the baseline skills necessary to function as an effective tackler while he continues to refine his technique.
In zone coverage, Wright looks to try and bait quarterbacks, jumping routes and generating splash plays. Naturally, this play style can lend itself to Wright taking himself out of position and allowing for some explosive plays over his head at times.
On the rep below, working as the flat defender in a Cover 3 Invert scheme, Wright stays patient at the snap, staying square before driving on an out route, which opens up the hole shot behind his head for a game winning touchdown. On this rep, Wright both fails to re-route the #1 receiver inside while also failing to midpoint the smash concept, where providing body presence would have likely prevented the hole shot. While calling Invert 3 here in the redzone puts the safety in a tough position to begin with, Wright simply needs to be more disciplined with the game on the line.
Similarly, at this point in his career, Wright is far more comfortable in press-man coverage than off-man. While he has some nice reps and has shown the ability to play patiently from off-coverage, Wright could still use some further refinement of his technique in that department.
On the rep below, Wright feels his cushion threatened immediately, causing him to open his hips prematurely and subsequently allows the receiver to attack his blind spot. As Wright turns to locate the receiver in his blind spot, he loses his footing, slipping and allowing significant separation downfield. Wright needs to work to find a comfortable depth to play from off-man coverage where he can stay patient and maintain his cushion, as he gets himself in no-mans-land here, aligning too far off to use his physicality but too close to maintain his cushion, allowing the receiver to step on his toes and dictate to him on the rep.
Conclusion
Overall, Rejzohn Wright offers a unique combination of size, physicality, football IQ, and desire to get involved in the run game. While he could continue to improve his discipline in zone coverage and continue to refine his footwork and comfortability in off-man coverage, he has all of the baseline tools and ability to serve as a quality starter on the boundary at the NFL level.
In terms of measurables and IQ in coverage, Wright reminds me a bit of current Green Bay Packer Rasul Douglas, who has revitalized his career by using his understanding of wider coverage concepts to take calculated risks and capitalize on takeaway opportunities. At the next level, Wright brings the ability to frustrate receivers in press coverage, crowding them with his length at the line of scrimmage. Likewise, he should continue to have more opportunities to jump routes in zone coverage assignments as he gets more disciplined.
To me, Wright is a guy with early day two upside that could wind up falling to day three in what is a uniquely deep cornerback class. In Pittsburgh, Wright would have the luxury of sitting behind a talented cornerback room while he eases his way into the lineup, eventually competing with James Pierre, who is likely retained, for boundary snaps in sub-packages. If Pittsburgh chooses to target a boundary cornerback with a mid-round pick, Rejzohn Wright offers an ideal, high upside option.
Projection: Late Day Two/Early Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 8.2-Future Quality Starter (2nd Round)
Games Watched: vs USC (2022), vs Boise State (2022), at Washington (2022)
