Following a career-best season, Jaylen Wright has taken his last carry for Tennessee.

The Vols' junior running back declared for the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday and will not play in Tennessee's Cheez-It Citrus Bowl game vs. Iowa on Jan. 1, 2024 in Orlando.

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Wright had his most productive season during the Vols' 2023 campaign. He paced the running backs room 1,013 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 137 carries. Wright rushed for 113 or more yards in six of Tennessee's 12 regular season games and scored on touchdown runs of 75, 82 and 52 yards.

He finished as the Vols' first 1,000-yard rusher since 2016 and was named All-SEC Second Team by the Associated Press.

Behind Wright, Tennessee boasted one of the top backfields in the SEC, but his absence leaves a void to fill on the offense. Three weeks before the bowl game, the running backs also include Jabari Small and Dylan Sampson as well as two freshmen in Cam Seldon and Khalifa Keith.

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Small is second in rushing with 475 yards and two touchdowns on 95 carries but Sampson saw an increase in carries as a sophomore, totaling 471 yards and leading the group in touchdowns with seven. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry and was key in the fourth quarter of Tennessee's 33-27 win at Kentucky on Oct. 28.

The coaching staff raved about Seldon in the spring after getting more reps because of injuries to Small and Wright. He contributed mainly on special teams but did appear in four games at running back, picking up 51 yards on 12 carries.

Preparation for Iowa began with bowl practices last Saturday as Tennessee (8-4) tries to piece its roster together for its final game.

The Hawkeyes (10-2) finished fourth in the Big Ten in rush defense, limiting opponents to just 102.5 yards per game. The Vols average more than 200 yards.

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