The NFL Draft always brings some “huh” moments, but there have been few of those from the Dallas Cowboys over the last few years. As a result, they’ve generally been able to get value relative to the views of the draft community. However, this year, the Dallas Cowboys had that moment in the third round when they selected Oregon State Cornerback Nahshon Wright.
Wright was a player that wasn’t on many people’s radars but came with a ringing endorsement as he was a pick ascribed to new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
Well, it hasn’t taken long for Nahshon Wright to impress in Dallas Cowboys OTAs. From the DallasCowboys.com mailbag piece from Friday, David Helman and Jonny Auping were asked who the most impressive rookie defensive back has been thus far. Their answer: Nahshon Wright.
“I promise I’m not blowing smoke. We’ve had a chance to watch two practices, and Nahshon Wright has shown up in both of them. His instincts are impressive, and he’s consistently contesting passes thrown his way. It doesn’t mean much in an unpadded practice, but it’s at least encouraging that he’s making the most of the opportunities he’s seeing.”
David Helman, DallasCowboys.com
Auping went onto say that Wright’s stature is impressive, although he looks skinny lined up against NFL players.
It will be hard for a 6-4 defensive back not to look skinny coming out of college. However, rookies often put on the weight and muscle required for the NFL in the offseason between their first and second years. That’s the time where they get a full opportunity to get in the work in an NFL Strength and Conditioning program. We saw it with Connor Williams after his first season.
With fellow rookie cornerback Kelvin Joseph missing the practice open to the media earlier this week, Wright has had an opportunity to step up and garner the attention of observers. If he can adapt quickly, Wright’s length can be a fantastic attribute in Dan Quinn’s cover-3 scheme. When he was drafted, it seemed as if it would take time for Wright to earn playing time and find his way on the field in 2021. However, if he can continue to make people notice his play in a good way as the team transitions to training camp and the preseason, he may find himself on the field sooner than expected.
