MIAMI – Kevin Wright was one of 29 high school football players from Palm Beach County at the fifth annual Orange Bowl Showcase on Feb. 13.
The Seminole Ridge senior made his presence felt at the function, which was held at St. Thomas University in Miami. In three different events, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound defensive back recorded the following statistics:
•Shuttle average – 4.3 seconds
•40-yard dash – 4.5 seconds
•Vertical jump – 10 feet, 2 inches
•One-on-ones – broke up 2 passes, caught 1 interception
Wright spoke on his Orange Bowl Showcase moment.
“The Orange Bowl Showcase was a nice experience,” Wright said. “I really like that it felt like an NFL combine with events like the 40-yard dash, shuttle run, vertical jump, and bench press. I’m a competitor, so I really enjoyed the one-on-ones because it gave me the opportunity to test myself directly against other players. Overall I thought it was a terrific opportunity and experience.”
Wright had more to say about
the Orange Bowl Showcase.
“What stood out to me was how organized everything was,” Wright said. “It really felt like an NFL combine. The drills were really well run. I also enjoyed being able to meet immediately with coaches and evaluators who were on the field. Other combine events didn’t really offer that. Hearing the emphasis ‘not only on football but also academics’ was very helpful.”
Speaking of the academic front, one school in particular stood out to Wright. It was Rockford University, a Division III institution based in Rockford, Ill.
“I didn’t know anything about it before last Saturday,” Wright said. “My parents and I have been doing some research. We’re learning more about its academics and the football program.”
Wright on the vibe he got from the Rockford coaches at the Orange Bowl Showcase:
“It was positive when they spoke with me,” Wright said. “They seemed to be looking for kids that would level up their program.”
With all that said, what got Wright to this point was how his senior season went at Seminole Ridge.
In four games played, the defensive back had 36 tackles, 7 pass breakups, and 1 interception. His best game was in his team’s 38-0 win over Royal Palm Beach, when he had his interception and several tackles, one of which resulted in him running down a receiver 50 yards down the field.
“It was a well-played game,” Wright said. “We had just come off of terrible loss to Park Vista and we had games canceled because of COVID-19. We were all dealing with a lot, but we came together and practice harder. We bonded better. We really needed to win to get our momentum going.”
The other games that Wright played in were after the regular season, when Seminole Ridge ended last year with wins over John I. Leonard and Suncoast. Wright’s team was eliminated by default – due to COVID-19 – in a forfeit loss to Dwyer for the first round of the 7A Gold Tri-County playoffs.
“We were having a winning season,” Wright said. “We believe we could have beaten Dwyer.”
Wright has his Hudl film out for all college coaches to see. Time will tell which school he ultimately plays for on the next level.
Stay tuned for further updates on Wright’s college recruiting process.
PHOTO CREDIT: Orange Bowl Showcase
