University of Tennessee Athletics
VFLs Darnell Wright, Byron Young Selected To PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team
January 23, 2024 | Football
Tennessee One of Seven Schools Nationally With Multiple Players On Team
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Multiple Tennessee football VFLs have earned a spot on the 2023 Pro Football Writers of America's NFL All-Rookie Team, as the Chicago Bears' Darnell Wright and the Los Angeles Rams' Byron Young were named to the teams on Tuesday.
Wright and Young played huge roles on Tennessee's 2021 and 2022 teams that won a combined 18 games, culminating with a victory over Clemson in the 2022 Orange Bowl. They both played in that contest and were dominant with Wright playing 66 snaps and Young tallying two sacks following first-team All-SEC regular seasons.
Tennessee was one of seven schools nationally and two in the SEC to place multiple players on the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team, joining Alabama, Ohio State, USC, Iowa, TCU and Penn State. Tennessee joined Alabama, Iowa and USC as the only schools to put a player on the offensive team and the defensive team.
Wright, who played four seasons at offensive tackle for the Vols, was the SEC's highest drafted offensive lineman in 2023, going No. 10 overall in the first round to Chicago. Wright quickly established himself, starting all 17 games and playing 99.6 percent of the team's snaps, the most of any Bears player.
After shining in the pre-draft process, including the Senior Bowl, the edge rusher Young was drafted No. 77 overall in the third round by Los Angeles. He delivered in his first season, reaching the playoffs and posting 61 total tackles, eight sacks, 19 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He was second among all rookies in sacks.
It is the second time in three seasons that Tennessee has produced at least one player on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Guard Trey Smith was selected in 2022. Smith will appear in his third straight AFC Championship Game for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.Â
Wright and Young played huge roles on Tennessee's 2021 and 2022 teams that won a combined 18 games, culminating with a victory over Clemson in the 2022 Orange Bowl. They both played in that contest and were dominant with Wright playing 66 snaps and Young tallying two sacks following first-team All-SEC regular seasons.
Tennessee was one of seven schools nationally and two in the SEC to place multiple players on the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team, joining Alabama, Ohio State, USC, Iowa, TCU and Penn State. Tennessee joined Alabama, Iowa and USC as the only schools to put a player on the offensive team and the defensive team.
Wright, who played four seasons at offensive tackle for the Vols, was the SEC's highest drafted offensive lineman in 2023, going No. 10 overall in the first round to Chicago. Wright quickly established himself, starting all 17 games and playing 99.6 percent of the team's snaps, the most of any Bears player.
After shining in the pre-draft process, including the Senior Bowl, the edge rusher Young was drafted No. 77 overall in the third round by Los Angeles. He delivered in his first season, reaching the playoffs and posting 61 total tackles, eight sacks, 19 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He was second among all rookies in sacks.
It is the second time in three seasons that Tennessee has produced at least one player on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Guard Trey Smith was selected in 2022. Smith will appear in his third straight AFC Championship Game for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.Â
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