There are several traits NFL front offices weigh when setting their draft board. It’s not hard to imagine Darnell Wright’s work ethic being just one of many X-factors that stuck out to the Chicago Bears when deciding to make him their first-round draft selection in April.
But not even the Bears likely expected the former Tennessee offensive lineman to take his dedication to getting in NFL shape so seriously over the spring. Yet, they aren’t upset with the results either.
According to Wright, he ‘accidentally’ misinterpreted the expectations set for him regarding conditioning. Instead of doing the normal drills expected for an offensive lineman, Wright spent his free time training as if he were a wide receiver set to catch passes from Justin Fields.
Seriously.
Wright indicates that each Bears player was given specific written instructions detailing what each athlete needed to do in order to pass their conditioning tests. Somehow lines got crossed, and Wright ended up doing much more sprinting than the average lineman.
“More distance and lower time. It definitely feels better, it’s a little bit of an adjustment as far as training power, still, but I think I’m more powerful because I didn’t lose any muscle mass. You definitely feel a step quicker.”
Chicago Bears’ top draft pick Darnell Wright
The results of the extra sprints led to the tenth overall pick slimming down. Previously weighing 333 pounds at the Scouting Combine, Wright now says he’s lost 16 pounds. So even though he could maybe improve his communication skills, the 21-year-old is at least heading into camp in much better shape.