Dolphins trade into fourth round to select speedy Tennessee running back Wright

Seemingly already set at running back, the Dolphins threw a curveball on the third day of the NFL Draft on Saturday, trading into the fourth round to select Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright.

Miami - which entered the day without a fourth round pick - relinquished a 2025 third-round pick to Philadelphia in order to acquire the 120th overall pick on Saturday, which was used on Wright.

Wright averaged 7.4 yards per carry on 137 rushing attempts last season, closing with 1013 yards rushing and 141 yards in receptions on 22 catches.

That 7.4 rushing average was second in FBS last season.

He averaged 6.2 yards per carry on 368 career rushing attempts in three seasons at Tennessee, with 18 touchdowns rushing.

He has blazing speed, with a 4.38 time in the 40-yard dash. So in that regard, he fits right in with the NFL’s fastest offense. He said he was timed as quickly as a 4.36 when training for the Combine.

He said he has run as fast as 23.7 miles per hour. As perspective, the fastest record NFL play last season was a 22.3 mph catch and run by Seattle’s DK Metcalf.

“Jalen Wright has burst, the frame at 5-10, 210 pounds, leg drive, balance, breaks contact, slippery, contact balance outstanding,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper said.

“Patient runner. Talk about hitting home runs. Fifty two yard run against Kentucky, 82 yard run against Connecticut, 75 yard run against George and a 42 yard run against USC. He gets a little crack, he is gone.”

The Dolphins already seemed set with their top three running backs, with Raheem Mostert, DeVon Achane and Jeff Wilson, and Salvon Ahmed and Chris Brooks in reserve.

Now, the roster spots of Ahmed and Brooks are at risk, and Wilson could be surpassed on the depth chart after agreeing to a pay cut this offseason.

Wright said he had a pre-draft 30 draft in visit. “Best visit I had,” Wright said, adding he will “add another explosive element to the offense.

“It’s really going to be scary. I’ve got a lot of fire built in me. I want to prove my point, make people who passed on me to feel me, want to make a lot of plays.”

His father nicknamed him Cheetah a while ago.

“We already have a Cheetah on the Dolphins [Tyreek Hill],” he said. “I’ve going to let him have Cheetah. That’s his thing.”

Wright OK with “lightning” or “flash” as new name. He said others call him “J-Wright.”

He said he’s “comfortable” catching passes. “I know I can make big plays in the passing game or the running game.”

He said he can run around or through defenders. “I have no limitations to my game,” he said.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein said of Wright: “Explosive back with good size and breakaway speed. Wright’s running style is more linear than free-flowing, which limits his cut smoothness and elusiveness on the second level. His vision and aggression as an interior runner are just average, but that won’t stop him from putting yards on the stat sheet.

“He regularly bounced runs wide and beat the pursuit around the corner, so a move to a stretch-based running attack would be a natural fit, allowing his speed to shine. He’s capable of running with power, but he will default into finesse at times. Wright’s big-play potential and talent as a pass catcher should make him a Day 2 target as a future starter.”

Achane and Wright are 13th and 24th, respectively, all-time in yards per carry average in SEC history, dating to 1956.

He has never met Achane but said “he’s a great running back, fast, elusive, a great guy to learn from.”