UAB Blazers defensive end Alex Wright met with the San Francisco 49ers at the NFL Scouting Combine, per Justin Melo of The Draft Network. He will also meet virtually with the 49ers, along with several other NFL teams.

"There's a TON of interest in his natural tools," notes Melo.


Wright registered 45 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks, three passes defensed, and two forced fumbles through 12 game appearances as a junior in 2021, per Sports Reference. He recorded 91 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, 11.5 sacks, five passes defensed, and three forced fumbles through his three collegiate seasons.

Wright is from Elba, AL. He earned a pre-draft grade of 6 from NFL.com, which equates to an "above-average backup," per the site's 8-point grading scale.


At the NFL Scouting Combine, the 6' 5 1/8" and 271-pound Wright had 15 reps in the bench press. Wright's other measurables include an arm length of 34 inches and hands measuring 9 1/4 inches.

Wright wasn't able to go through all of the drills at the Combine. His work was cut short by a minor injury.

"I wish I could've done more, but I was happy with what I did do on the field," Wright told The Spun in Indianapolis. "I also got some good feedback from teams. I had to undergo MRIs and stuff because I strained my pec. It was a tough moment, but I heard it was a mild sprain. I tried to focus on my workouts because I can worry about my pec later. It was a fun yet challenging time."

Wright has studied a couple of former 49ers player and one current Niner as he looks for ways to improve his game.

"I like to study DeMarcus Ware, DeForest Buckner and Aldon Smith," Wright shared. "I like to look at a bunch of different players. I'll even watch Lawrence Taylor. I'd say DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead are toward the top of my list."


Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, who compares Wright to Taco Charlton, wrote the following about Wright within his scouting report:

Developmental defensive end who is still growing into his body and his position. Wright will likely look much different in pads within a couple of years. His current play lacks recognition, sophistication and technique. However, he's a young player who flashes and still posts good rush production, albeit versus lesser blockers. In a projection-based model where additional size, strength and technique improvements are likely, his athleticism becomes an even more impressive weapon as both a run defender and pass rusher. He will require a runway for development, but he's worth a middle-round selection as a potential three-down starter for odd- or even-front teams.

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