Oklahoma State Offers Vanderbilt Defender De’Rickey Wright

The Cowboys are trying to take advantage of their newfound tie to Vanderbilt.

De’Rickey Wright, a linebacker/safety hybrid, announced an Oklahoma State offer Thursday. Wright becomes the third Commodore transfer that OSU has offered since hiring Derek Mason as its defensive coordinator, joining defensive lineman Raashaan Wilkins and offensive lineman Jason Brooks. Mason coached at Vandy from 2014 to 2020.

Blessed to receive a offer from @cowboyfb. ? @jordabburtonosu@joebobclements@coachderekmason pic.twitter.com/TZ4UCGK4rv

— De'Rickey Wright (@d__wright14) February 17, 2022

At 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, Wright is one of those new-aged defenders where he is part outside linebacker, part safety. As a sophomore at Vanderbilt in 2021, he had 24 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. With the 2020 season not counting toward his eligibility because of COVID, he has three years of eligibility remaining.

Wright entered the transfer portal Tuesday and already has offers from Texas and now Oklahoma State.

He had an interesting story as a recruit in the 2020 class. Out of Gadsden City High School in Alabama, Wright was a one-time Alabama commit. He committed to Alabama in March of 2019 before decommitting that June. A few days after his decommitment from Alabama, Wright committed to Ole Miss before decommitting in December when he flipped to Mason and Vanderbilt.

He was the No. 398 player in the 2020 class and had offers from Alabama, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, LSU, Texas A&M, Miami and others.

Given Wright’s size (and the fact that he mentioned linebackers coach Joe Bob Clements in his offer tweet), Wright is most likely being looked at more as a linebacker than a defensive back. There is opportunity to be had at linebacker for the Cowboys entering the 2022 season with 2021 starters Malcolm Rodriguez and Devin Harper having left.