Rejzohn Wright: From Netflix to Panthers’ 53-man roster?
Could a former Netflix star turned UDFA make an immediate for the Carolina Panthers’ finding his way onto the final 53-man roster capping a stunning turnaround from his days on Last Chance U?
Despite being a three-star recruit out of James Logan High School in Union City California Cornerback Rejzhon Wright started his collegiate career playing for the Laney Eagles a community college in Oakland and was featured on the hit Netflix show Last Chance U. Wright was an impact player in his two years for the Eagles leading to interest from some big schools.
Wright followed in the footsteps of his older brother Nahshon moving from Laney College up to Corvallis Oregon to play for Jonathon Smith and the Oregon Smith Beavers for his final three years of eligibility. After becoming a full-time starter in 2021 Wright was named in the first team All PAC-12 as the Beavers went 10-3 culminating the season in a dominant 30-3 Las Vegas Bowl win over the Florida Gators.
Wright ended his senior season with 38 tackles a pair of interceptions and 9 pass breakups. Wright has fantastic length which helps him match up against bigger-bodied receivers and his size at 6’2 makes him a real threat on the ball in coverage.
He showed his talent matching up against former USC Trojan Jordan Addison holding the player to just 3 receptions for 42 yards when the two matched up in 2022. Addison would finish the season with 875 yards on his way to being selected 23rd by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Where analysts projected the player to be drafted varied, Lance Zierlein NFL analyst at NFL.com predicted the player to be selected in the 5th or 6th round, whereas in his draft profile, Damian Parson of The Draft Network said Wright had third-round value, making it all the more surprising that the prospect found himself undrafted before heading to Carolina as a UDFA.
The current Cornerback situation in Carolina could be a reason as to why the prospect chose to head to Charlotte ahead of the 2023 season with there being a real chance the player makes the final 53-man roster. The Panther’s situation at corner is precarious, starter Jaycee Horn is a stud a true number 1 corner but injuries have limited the former South Carolina Gamecock in his first two years in the league.
Donte Jackson who is expected to start opposite Horn is returning from an Achilles tear that ended his 2022 season and injuries have been a real factor for the player since he was drafted out of LSU in the second round back in 2018, veteran Eric Rowe was added in the offseason and is expected to be the Panthers’ starter in the slot.
Behind those three questions arise CJ Henderson had his fifth-year option declined after the draft after failing to show much since the Panthers’ traded for him early in the 2021 season. Keith Taylor a fifth round pick out of Washington in 2021 is still finding his feet, but as Carolina fans saw in Week 17 on the road against Tampa Bay this past season the player isn’t ready to match up against top-level WRs.
With all these questions surrounding the position group, this gives Wright the opportunity to impress new secondary coach Jonathan Cooley and force his way onto the roster, we’ve already seen signs the player is having an impact early in rookie minicamp breaking up a pass from number one pick Bryce Young.
Wright seems to have become a forgotten man during the draft process despite his impressive tape which will suit the player just fine, he plays with a certain swagger and with a real chip on his shoulder something which will stand him in good stead to have a long and successful career in the NFL if given the opportunity hopefully in Carolina.
