Coach’s Take: New WR commit Phillip Wright set to bring elite speed to Michigan
Michigan scored an important recruiting win over the weekend as three-star wide receiver Phillip Wright gave the Wolverines a verbal pledge.
According to Destrehan (La.) High head coach Marcus Scott, the Wolverines are getting a fantastic playmaker and leader.
“As good of an athlete as he is, he’s an even better person,” Scott said. “We look to him for the leadership and the work ethic. He’s someone that’s a huge part of what we do.”
Wright is one of the fastest wide receiver recruits in the country this cycle, clocking a blazing 10.46 100-meter this offseason. And that was a big reason the Wolverines made him a top priority despite his relatively low ranking.
“His biggest strength is his ability to run extremely fast vertically,” Scott said. “He’s able to make plays when the ball is thrown to him down the field. Because he’s such a threat in the vertical game, he’s able to catch a lot of the short stuff. Once he catches the ball in the open field, he can make plays from anywhere.”
Scott added that Wright’s elite speed could allow him to be a difference maker in multiple ways at the next level.
“Based on a lot of stuff I’ve seen Michigan do recently, it seems like they move a lot of their wide outs around and get them favorable matchups,” Scott said. “If you put him inside against safeties and linebackers, it’s a clear advantage. If you put him outside, he’s faster than most corners. He can make plays there, too. It’s based on what they do with him. They can put him in motion, put him in the flats and do so many things.”
Everyone knows Wright for his speed, but Scott has also been impressed with his toughness and willingness to block.
“His toughness stands out,” Scott said. “He was known as a track guy playing football. But he and his parents made it clear that he’s a football guy that runs track well. He has that toughness and grit about him that you might not think a guy with that speed has. They had a saying in the wide receiver room ‘no block, no rock.’ He’s gotten a lot better at that.”
Wright committed to Michigan over fellow finalists Georgia and LSU.
Overall, Scott believes Wright is a great fit for U-M and was impressed with the recruiting efforts of wide receivers coach Ron Bellamy, a Louisiana native.
“If you can run the ball as well as Michigan does, that plays to the advantage of the wide receivers,” Scott said. “Coach Bellamy did a great job. He’s a local guy. They were very steady with their approach with Phillip and his family.”
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