Milton

Wright

Wright (6'3"/195) was the assumed successor to NFL draftee David Bell as the Boilermakers No. 1 receiver. He caught 57 passes for 732 yards and seven touchdowns operating as the second guy, including a 213-yard 3-score performance against Northwestern that made him a massive breakout candidate. Instead, Wright is no longer on the team after failing to qualify academically. It’s a massive blow to Purdue’s hopes in the upcoming season, as they don’t have much left in terms of proven WR talent. Fellow senior Broc Thompson figures to step into the role now, and he did have a 217-yard, two-score effort himself filling in for Bell in the Music City Bowl.

Wright (6'3"/195) opened the touchdown scoring with a 53-yard grab from QB Aidan O’Connell, and he caught the last touchdown of the day from 45 yards out in the fourth quarter. In between he added a 17-yard grab, as his three touchdowns were tied for the second-most in program history. Wright nearly doubled his season-long yardage, entering the day with 466 receiving yards, and his 213 yards set a new career high and marked the first time he cracked the 100-yard plateau this season.

Wright (6'3/195) was quiet most of this game, in fact, most of the Purdue offense was quiet. The Boilermakers were able to keep Nebraska contained and they stayed competitive this entire game. They finally found their opening and put this game over the top late in the game. They took their first and final lead in the fourth quarter when O’Connell found a wide-open Wright in the back of the end zone to take 21-17 lead. They put the final stamp on it when O’Connell found Jackson Anthrop for a nine yards touchdown to put them up 28-17 for the win. Their matchup next week is tough as they host Michigan State who is coming off a big win over Michigan.

Wright had the longest play for either teams, and it was a 45-yard touchdown pass from the right arm of Aidan O’Connell to extend the Boilermakers’ lead to 14-0. The former four-star recruit showed flashes as a freshman with an 18-268-1 line, but he’s been even better so far to begin the 2020 campaign with 12 catches for 164 yards in the first two games. Even when Rondale Moore comes back, the Boilermakers are going to want to get the 6-foot-3, 195-pound wideout the football. The next chance to do so would come against Wisconsin next Saturday if that game can be played.

While a lot of the focus nationally when it comes to Purdue’s wide receivers has been on sophomore Rondale Moore -- and deservedly so -- there are four freshman to keep tabs on as well. Wright (6'3/195), TJ Sheffield, David Bell and Mershawn Rice have done well in fall camp, but Wright and Sheffield are best positioned to have an impact once the season begins as they’ve been healthy for every practice. While Wright is a threat when it comes to catching the ball, he takes his responsibilities as a blocker seriously as well. And that can help get a freshman on the field quickly once the games begin. “I am aggressive in my routes, with blocking,” Wright said according to Dienhart. “That comes from my dad. He has always taught me to be physical and not let anybody rough you up. You be the hitter not the hittee, as he always says. There is some soft parts of route running, but there are other parts where you have to go strong.”

Wright (6'3/200) was on-hand for Purdue’s narrow win over Iowa. The 247Sports’ Crystal Ball sees the Boilermakers ultimately coming away with his pledge when all is said and done. He plans on signing with his team-to-be during the early December window. 247Sports ranks the Louisville native as the No. 203 prospect in the 2019 class. Beyond Purdue, Louisville and Kentucky are the two other programs to keep an eye on over the next month-plus.

Wright (6'3/200) took an official visit to Purdue last weekend. Looks like Boilermakers HC Jeff Brohm and staff were able to make a convincing pitch in that spot. He will make it official with the program during the early signing period in December. Slotting in as the No. 203 recruit in the 2019 class on the 247Sports composite board, Wright will bring an elite speed element to the table for Purdue. He opted for the Boilermakers over fellow finalists Louisville and Kentucky.