Student-Athlete Features
VUCommodores.com — Wright Minded
Vanderbilt Hustler – De’Rickey Wright: Playing for Something More
As a Senior (2024)
• Played in all 13 games, starting 12
• Capped Vandy career playing in 48 games with 38 starts and made 179 tackles with eight for loss, six interceptions and three forced fumbles
• Recovered a fumble forced by CJ Taylor in win at Auburn
• Registered a season-high eight tackles versus Texas
• Grabbed his fifth career interception off a failed field goal attempt in win at Kentucky
• Recorded a pass breakup in victory over Alabama
• Preseason All-SEC (Athlon; fourth team)
As a Senior (2023)
• Started 10 of 10 games played
• Sixth on the team with 46 total tackles
• Had two interceptions and two forced fumbles
• 11th in Pro Football Focus coverage grade among SEC safeties (min. 20% of snaps)
• Midseason All-SEC, second team defense (College Football Network)
• Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award Nominee
• Forced a fumble in the game versus Missouri
• Tied career-best 10 tackles (7 solo) and recovered a fumble at Wake Forest
• Named Tennessee Sports Writers Association Defensive Player of the Week after win over Hawai’i
• Named Reese’s Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in win over Hawai’i
• Recorded two interceptions and three solo tackles in win over Hawai’i
• Third-team preseason All-SEC (Phil Steele)
• Senior Bowl Watch List
• Named to preseason Shrine Bowl 1000
As a Junior (2022)
• Played in all 12 games with 55 tackles, 2.5 for loss and three interceptions
• Three interceptions were second in the SEC
• Made a season-best 10 tackles against South Carolina
• Had at least one tackle in every game, with four or more in nine games
• Posted six pass break-ups on the year, his first full-time season at safety
• Tallied four solo tackles and two interceptions against Ole Miss
• Recorded an interception and 35-yard return in win at Northern Illinois
As a Sophomore (2021)
• Eight games played
• Made 24 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss
• Forced a fumble at South Carolina
• Accounted for two pass breakups and four quarterback hurries
As a Freshman (2020)
• Four games played
• Six tackles, five against No. 6/5 Florida and one at Missouri
• First career fumble recovery versus the Gators
• Among SEC freshmen, third in fumbles recovered/game (0.2)
• Among all SEC players, tied for fifth in fumbles recovered/game
The Wright File
• Four-star prospect by ESPN
• Three-star by Rivals and 247Sports
• Top 400 national prospect by 247Sports
• Top 20 Alabama prospect by ESPN and 247Sports
• Alabama’s 21st-best prospect by Rivals
• Missed most of senior season due to injury
• Sophomore starting quarterback, junior starting safety while playing alongside current Vanderbilt safety Justin Harris
• 54 tackles, six interceptions and six defensed passes, helping Etowah to 5A state quarterfinals as a junior
• Three interceptions returned for scores in 2018
• 2018 all-state first team
• 2018 all-region first team
• Varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball and tennis
• Full name is De’Rickey Rashad Wright
• Born and raised in northeast Alabama
• Son of the late Christina Henderson
• Three siblings: Shi’Nita, Sha’Nora and Latrice
• Sociology major