Seahawks 90-Man Rundown: Jacardia Wright Looking to Make Mark in Deep RB Stable
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Seattle Seahawks running back Jacardia Wright runs the football during an organized team activity session at the VMAC. Credit: Jacardia Wright/Instagram [/caption]
With their offseason program all wrapped up, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC on July 23, meaning the start of the upcoming season will be here before fans have a chance to blink.
In preparation for year number two under coach Mike Macdonald, I’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, dishing out fun facts, exploring best and worst case scenarios, and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2025 campaign.
Making the jump from FCS competition to the NFL, can Jacardia Wright find a way to stand out in arguably the deepest position group on Seattle’s roster out of the backfield?
Jacardia Wright
Height/Weight: 6-0, 218 pounds
2024 Stats: 824 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns, 403 receiving yards
One of the most prolific runners to come out of Illinois in recent years, Wright eclipsed 8,000 rushing yards at St. Teresa High School while also starring as a safety on defense. He committed to Kansas State as a running back, but struggled to see much action on offense, receiving a grand total of 48 carries for 195 yards and a touchdown in three seasons with the program. Looking to see the field more often, he transferred to Missouri State prior to the 2022 season and promptly took over as the Bears primary back with seven starts in 10 games.
While Wright never surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in his college career, he did provide a consistent presence for Missouri State’s offense as both a runner and pass catcher. In each of his three seasons with the program, he rushed for at least 696 rushing yards and six touchdowns, including posting career-highs with 824 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior in 2024. Additionally, he snagged 75 passes for 844 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver out of the backfield with the Bears, earning Second-Team All-MVFC recognition as a running back and all-purpose player. Hurt by a historically great running back class, he went undrafted before signing with the Seahawks in April.
Fun Fact: Powering through defenders with regularity, Wright finished sixth among FCS backs with 67 missed tackles forced along with finishing 16th in the nation averaging 3.65 yards per carry after contact, per Pro Football Focus.
Best Case Scenario: Demonstrating significant improvement as a pass protector to go with his powerful running and soft hands out of the backfield, Wright shines throughout exhibition season for the Seahawks with over 175 all-purpose yards and a pair of touchdowns, pushing George Holani for the lone running back spot on the practice squad.
Worst Case Scenario: While Wright rips off a couple of nice runs in preseason games, he only sees the field for a handful of snaps with too many established runners ahead of him on the depth chart, leading to his release in final roster cuts without a practice squad spot.
What to Expect in 2025: On several other NFL teams, Wright would be better set up to potentially push for playing time than with the Seahawks, who have the quartet of Ken Walker III, Zach Charbonnet, Kenny McIntosh, and Holani all returning from last year’s squad along with incoming seventh-round pick Damien Martinez. At close to 220 pounds, he has the physical, downhill style that the team seems to prefer under the current coaching regime while also offering reliable hands as a pass catcher, boasting the traits to be a potential factor as an undrafted signee. He even has limited experience as a kick returner, putting another feather in his hat with possible special teams contributions.
However, Seattle’s deep stable of backs already features a wide array of skill sets, including the more explosive Martinez checking off the size and physicality boxes that serve as Wright’s biggest assets as a change-of-pace possibility behind Walker, Charbonnet, and McIntosh. With such an abundance of depth ahead of him and legitimate questions about whether or not he has the burst (4.64 40-yard dash time) to run effectively at the next level, it likely will take injuries for the undrafted runner to have any chance at hanging around past the preseason, though a practice squad spot shouldn’t be counted out at a position with high attrition rates. Most likely, he will be playing to impress other teams in August with hopes of latching on elsewhere.
