Manuel Wright
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| Manuel Wright | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | April 13, 1984 (age 22) |
| Place of birth |  Compton, California |
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Weight | 329 lb (150 kg) |
| Position(s) | Defensive Tackle |
| College | Southern California |
| NFL Draft | 2005 / Round 5 (Supplemental) |
| Stats | |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 2005-present | Miami Dolphins |
Manuel Wright (born April 13, 1984 in Compton, California) is an American football defensive tackle who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He played collegiately at Southern California.
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[edit] High school career
Wright earned various team, local and national honors as a member of the football team at Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, California. As a junior in 2000, Wright recorded 95 tackles (57 solo) and with 25 sacks. As a senior, Wright was the team's defensive MVP after recording 142 tackles (60 solo), 16 sacks, four fumble recoveries, three forced fumbles, 20 deflections and an interception.
[edit] College career
[edit] 2002
Wright originally signed with USC in 2002 but did not qualify for admission, so he attended Long Beach City College that season as a part-time student. However, he did not play football there.
[edit] 2003
In 2003, Wright backed up future NFL players Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson at USC. While appearing in 9 games during the season, Wright had eight tackles, including two for losses of 10 yards (with an 8-yard sack), plus 3 deflections. He missed the Washington game because of an infection on his chin. His lone sack on the year came against Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
Off the field, Wright was arrested on three misdemeanor charges, including assault with a deadly weapon. The charges were later dismissed.
[edit] 2004
Wright remained a backup to both Cody and Patterson as a sophomore in 2004, however he was often used in a reserve role. He appeared in 11 games including two starts when Cody moved to defensive end. On the year Wright had 23 tackles, including six for losses of 17 yards (with two sacks for 10 yards), plus he deflected two passes and recovered two fumbles. For his efforts, he was an All-Pac-10 honorable mention.
[edit] Early departure
A projected starter for the first time ever in 2005, Wright sat out spring practices in order to work on his academics and remain eligible. He was unsuccessful in that regard, and was left with the options of either staying in school (and not playing football) or declaring for the NFL's supplemental draft, which is held by the league to accommodate players who did not enter the regular draft because they thought they still had academic eligibility to play college football. Wright would choose the latter.
[edit] Professional career
[edit] 2005
Leading up to the supplemental draft, many NFL teams showed interest in Wright in the form of visits, workouts and interviews. The Miami Dolphins wound up taking Wright in the fifth round of the draft, which essentially replaced their fifth-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. On July 22, Wright signed a four-year contract with the team. It included a signing bonus of $190,000.
Wright endured injuries and battled weight issues during his first pro training camp while his work ethic and maturity were questioned by some. In a much publicized incident on July 26, Wright broke down in tears during practice after being scolded by then-head coach Nick Saban.[1]
Wright would end up being active for only three of the 16 regular season games during his rookie season. He made his NFL debut on December 4 against the Buffalo Bills, stepping in for injured nose tackle Keith Traylor. Wright showed flashes of ability during his first game, recording two tackles and sacking Bills quarterback J.P. Losman for a ten-yard loss. Wright finished the season with four tackles, a sack and a pass defensed.
[edit] 2006
Wright gained 28 pounds during the 2006 offseason, but reportedly lost most of the weight during training camp. On August 8, a reportedly depressed Wright took a leave of absence from the team. He was quoted as saying he did not believe he would ever play for the Dolphins again and that he needed a "fresh start".
Despite requests from his family and from Nick Saban, Wright remained away from football in 2006. The Dolphins shopped him unsuccessfully but were unable to reach an agreement to trade him. The team received a roster exemption for Wright in 2006 and he was placed on the non-football injury list.
[edit] 2007
With a new head coach in town, Wright is reportedly expected to participate in the Dolphins' offseason workout program in 2007.
[edit] Trivia
- Was both high school and college teammates of current NFL linebacker Darnell Bing and offensive tackle Winston Justice, as well as Trojans running back Hershel Dennis. He was also high school teammates of former UCLA and current Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Marcedes Lewis.
