Scouting - Template

Over the next few months, we’ll be breaking down all of the players added by the Jets during free agency and in the legal tampering window. We continue today with cornerback Nahshon Wright.

The 27-year old Wright is listed at 6’4” and 190 pounds and was a third round pick out of Oregon State in 2021. After a slow start to his career, he had a breakout season in 2025 and was rewarded with a pro bowl invitation after intercepting five passes.

Background

Wright was not heavily recruited out of high school, so he headed to Laney Junior College as a zero-star recruit. He had four interceptions for them in 2018 and was able to transfer to Oregon State in 2019.

He had a good first season with the Beavers, as he started 10 of 12 games and had 34 tackles and three interceptions. Then, in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season he earned an all-Pac 12 honorable mention as he had 30 tackles and two interceptions in six starts.

Ahead of the 2021 draft, Wright surprised many analysts by deciding to forego his final season and, although he was selected in the third round by the Cowboys, this was widely considered a reach.

He played a minor role as a rookie, starting just one game and ending up with nine tackles in 13 games. Injuries disrupted his second season but he saw more action, starting two games. He had 23 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception in seven appearances.

In 2023, Wright had five tackles and a pass breakup in 12 games as he played just 50 defensive snaps. The following year saw him traded to the Vikings in preseason but he didn't make their team and spent most of the season on their practice squad. He was elevated once, then signed to a futures deal after the season, but was released in April.

Chicago swooped in to sign him to one-year deal the next day but he was considered a long-shot to compete for a major role. However, he made the roster and had a pick-six in his Bears debut in the opener. From there he went from strength to strength, starting 16 games and racking up 80 tackles, 11 pass breakups and five interceptions. After initially being snubbed for a pro bowl selection, he was invited as an alternate.

He signed for the Jets on a one-year free agent deal with a reported maximum value of $5.5 million.

Let's move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Wright brings to the table, based on in-depth research and film study.

Measurables/Athleticism

Wright has excellent height and a huge wingspan but when he came into the league he was too lightweight. He weighed in at just 183 pounds at the combine and managed just six bench press reps at his pro day. He's worked at this but can still struggle with stronger wideouts.

During his pro day workout most of Wright's numbers were poor but he did run a sub-4.5 in the 40-yard dash and posted a solid broad jump of 126 inches.

Usage

Wright, who was also a wide receiver in high school, has played exclusively as an outside cornerback throughout his career so far and that's unlikely to change because his skill-set doesn't really suit playing inside.

Coverage

With five interceptions last season and nine in three years at the collegiate level, Wright has made a name for himself as a playmaker. However, the other side of the equation is that opposing teams have targeted him a lot at times, so he gives up a lot in addition to making some plays.

In 2025 alone, he was targeted 93 times including the postseason, which was the 10th highest total in the league and he was in the top five for yards and touchdowns given up.

He uses his length well and has the speed to stay with receivers on crossers and downfield routes, with an ability to break on the ball.

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However, he can give up too much of a cushion at times and sometimes his footwork and route anticipation can be lacking.

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Ball Skills

Wright's impressive length combines with his competitiveness and the receiver instincts he developed in high school as he is constantly looking to come up with interceptions, which was obviously a weakness for the Jets last season.

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He's at his best when he gets himself in a position to attack the ball but if he turns his head, then it is more difficult for him to locate the ball and maintain his balance to be strong at the catch-point.

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Although he had five interceptions last season, he also dropped two in one game. A few of the ones he did make were spectacular catches though.

Tackling

Tackle efficiency wasn't really an issue for Wright in college but he did have 11 missed tackles last season.

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He has good range and the length to wrap up, but can take over-aggressive angles and is often dragged for a few extra yards at the end of a run.

Run Defense

Wright's size and length is an asset in the running game and his grades on analysis sites like Pro Football Focus have typically been good.

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On this play he had the rare distinction of being one of the few players to successfully thwart a tush push.

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Blitzing

Wright, who had one sack in his college career, doesn't blitz very often. At the NFL level, he was credited with the only quarterback hit of his career so far on this play.

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Special Teams

Wright hasn't played much on special teams in the past few years but he contributed on all units apart from the placekicking unit in his first three seasons. He had four special teams tackles but also seven penalties. He did score on this blocked punt though.

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In college, he had five special teams tackles in his first season but his role decreased in year two.

Physicality

Wright isn't afraid to get his nose dirty in and around the line of scrimmage and is physical when receivers are running routes and with the ball in the air but can be outmuscled at the catch-point.

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He has had three pass interference penalties, one for defensive holding and one for illegal contact at the NFL level. Perhaps the bigger issue was that he was called four times for illegal use of the hands.

As noted, he can at times be run over or dragged by ball carriers when making a tackle. His size is an asset when trying to free himself from blockers but he can get caught up in traffic.

Instincts

Wright seems most comfortable when he can stay on his man and focus on his assignment. There have been occasions where he has been involved in blown coverages.

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He has had some plays where he has made a good read to make a stop close to the line of scrimmage.

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However, he can be susceptible to tendency breakers and misdirection. This play came shortly after the previous one and Wright was clearly expecting the same look.

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On special teams, there was one play in his rookie year where he attempted to field a blocked punt past the line of scrimmage, handing possession back to the punt team.

Attitude/Demeanor

Wright plays with swagger, confidence and a short memory but has definitely been someone who can gain confidence from making big plays and take his game to another level from there. He is a player who believes in hard work and preparation.

In addition to not being a heavily-recruited high schooler and then having to go down the junior college route to get to where he has today, Wright has overcome some tough times in his life. His father died in his final year of high school and then his coach at Laney College, John Beam, who was also a father figure, died in a shooting incident last November.

His on-field discipline could be better but his only personal foul was a face mask penalty.

Injuries

Wright's most significant injury was an ill-timed ankle injury in the 2022 preseason. He ended up on injured reserve with that, missing over half of the season.

Otherwise he has missed time in 2021 and 2025 due to a minor hamstring issue.

Scheme Fit

Wright's ability to create turnovers - he forced two fumbles and recovered three in addition to his five interceptions last season - is obviously one of the main things that attracted the Jets to him.

The fact that he creates a lot of turnovers but at the same time gets picked on a lot in coverage is significant. It is reminiscent of his former Cowboys teammates Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, who have each earned lots of accolades while also being susceptible to giving up yards and touchdowns when they aren't making plays.

The common denominator here is Al Harris who was the defensive backs coach in Dallas during Wright's first three seasons and then was with the Bears in the same role last season as they added Wright and turned him into a success story.

The inability to create turnovers was such a big factor in the Jets' ability to gain momentum that you could understand them bringing in this type of player, even if it means they are sacrificing something in terms of what they'll give up in the passing game.

Bears beat writer Brad Biggs had said that one of the reasons Wright didn't have much of a free agent market is that he is very scheme-limited. Clearly the Jets will need to find the best way to deploy him to optimize his abilities.

Despite his pro bowler status, Wright isn't guaranteed a starting spot and will probably compete with Azareye'h Thomas to be the other starter along with Brandon Stephens.

Conclusions

At first blush, picking up a pro bowler on such a reasonable contract seems like a bit of a coup for the Jets. However, the NFL has a history of rewarding defensive playmakers even if the reality is that they also have some weaknesses and this is the case with Wright.

With that said, he does appear to be ascending, and the main thing that he brings is something the Jets' defense completely lacked so he is going to add something to their secondary.

As a team, the Bears' ability to create turnovers was a big part of their run to the postseason, just as the Jets' inability to do so was a big part of them being uncompetitive for large parts of the season.

Wright isn't going to be perfect, but the Jets will look to tighten up some of his weaknesses as they can hope he develops and improves his consistency while retaining his playmaking ability. If he can, then this signing could still turn out to be the bargain it initially appeared to be.