Our Draft Networking series rolls on with UAB's Alex Wright. Wright sat down with JustinM_NFL to discuss the QB he most wants to sack, which NFL teams have shown interest in him, the NFL impact he plans to make, and more. FrontOffice33 | NFLDraft
is one of the most intriguing pass rushers in the 2022 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-5, 271-pound chiseled EDGE defender experienced an excellent campaign in 2021 by recording seven sacks in 12 appearances. It was a proper follow-up to a freshman campaign that saw Wright total 4.
5 sacks as a young defensive star-in-the-making. The moldable tools and traits could help Wright get drafted earlier than most currently realize. Wright recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network about his exciting and expansive pass rush arsenal, his experience and takeaways from the NFL Scouting Combine, how UAB placed him in positions to succeed, which teams have shown interest in him throughout the process, and what kind of impact he plans to make at the next level. JM: You enjoyed a career-best season in 2021 by recording seven sacks en route to being named second-team All-Conference USA. What changed for you this past season? AW: My mindset and approach definitely changed for the better. I learned to control the things I can control and how to let go of everything else. I stopped focusing on the things that were outside of my control. You could always control your own mindset. I had to make sure I was putting my best foot forward on every single play. JM: You certainly did that. You had an excellent weigh-in at the combine, coming in at 6-foot-5, 271 pounds with 34-inch arms. Have you heard the words “traits” and “tools” a lot throughout the pre-draft process? AW: I have, and I continue to do so, yes sir. Everybody has their own play style and different traits. No two prospects are the same, even though some of the traits may be similar. I feel like my traits are incredibly unique. My body type, my length, it’s definitely uncommon or irregular. It allows me to do some things that maybe other prospects and other pass rushers can’t. I understand how to use the traits at my disposal. Those are the things that put me in this position to begin with.AW: You have to enter the combine with a strong mentality. Everybody watches the combine on television and they think it’s all about working out and doing interviews. Heck, I sorta went into the combine thinking it was going to be like that . There’s so much that happens behind the scenes with medicals and whatnot. There’s a lot that goes into it. That was probably my main takeaway. You have to possess a strong mentality and you have to be yourself out there. You might run into coaches like Pete Carroll or John Harbaugh. These are coaches you’ve been watching on television your entire life. You might get a little starstruck at one point . You have to remember you’re here for a reason. It’s a showcasing event and basically a job interview. If you end up getting coached by one of those more recognizable coaches, you’ll get used to it. You start to realize that’s your coach and not some television celebrity. JM: It’s so important to realize that. Did you meet with many teams formally throughout the week, and do you have any virtual visits coming up? AW: I’m supposed to meet with the New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I had roughly 12 formal interviews at the combine and that list included the Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles, to name a few. I had a bunch of informals as well. I’ve met with a lot of teams, man. JM: There’s a lot of interest in you and it’s easy to see why. How would you describe your pass rush arsenal? What do you consider to be your go-to moves and counters? AW: My set of go-to moves may differ based on my weekly opponent. It depends on who we’re playing against. I’m comfortable switching it up every week if I have to. I look to identify certain tells on tape throughout the week of film study. I love using the cross-chop on certain offensive tackles. I love the bull rush and swipe moves as well. Those are the top three moves in my pass-rushing arsenal currently. It all depends on the offensive tackles really. JM: Your arsenal really pops on tape. If you could hand-select the quarterback to be the victim of your first career sack, who would you choose and why? AW: I would definitely say Tom Brady now that he’s back . It was Brady at first, and then he retired. Then it was Lamar Jackson, and when Brady announced he was coming back, it became Brady again . Jackson was the backup plan. Watching Brady throughout my life, the reason I choose him is because of the type of person he is. He’s won so many championships. Watching him throughout my childhood, I always appreciated the way he treats his teammates. He’s a special person beyond what he’s accomplished on the field. JM: You clearly put some thought into that. I love that. You had a backup plan ready to go when Brady retired for 40 days . Having played at UAB, some people are going to refer to you as a “small school prospect.” How do you typically respond to that? AW: People don’t realize that most NFL players actually come from small schools. They don’t all go to Alabama or Georgia. If you’re a good football player, the NFL is gonna find you regardless. They have scouts, eyes, and ears everywhere. The NFL will always identify talent no matter where it comes from. It doesn’t matter if you come from a Power 5 school or a Group of 5 school. They’ll find you. If you can play football on tape, you’ll receive an opportunity. That’s how I feel about that. JM: That’s the honest truth. How do you think playing in UAB’s defense helped prepare you for the next level? AW: I’m extremely confident in the type of coaching and constructive criticism I received throughout my time at UAB. I had an excellent coaching staff throughout my entire tenure at UAB. That staff recruited me and they really spoke of my continued development and brought that into existence. They believed in me and I felt the love they had for me. I believed in the process and they always worked with me. They always filled me with confidence. That’s really how I look at it. I have to give all of the credit to my coaching staff. JM: That’s a terrific answer and we love to hear such positive stories regarding a relationship between prospect and coaching staff. I’ve really appreciated your time today. What kind of impact is Alex Wright going to make at the next level? AW: I’m going to make the impact that only Alex Wright is capable of making. I'm not trying to be anybody but myself. I watch a lot of film and I might model my game after certain players, but I’m my own player and my own man at the end of the day. I’m going to play to the best of my abilities and put my best foot forward. When I get drafted, the journey is just beginning. It’s not the end of the process. I plan to achieve a whole bunch of goals in the NFL. Whichever team drafts me is going to get the best version of Alex Wright.Justin Melo is an NFL draft analyst that cut his teeth at The Draft Breakdown and USA Today's Draft Wire. He specializes in interviewing prospects, but also produces big boards, mock drafts, and scouting reports. He also covers the Tennessee Titans nationally for Broadway Sports Media and SB Nation.
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