A Nebraska linebacker who overcame a blood clot diagnosis and years of injuries to become a senior-year starter and finally reach the NFL as an undrafted free agent.
Javin Wright's path to the Buccaneers took six years, defined as much by the injuries he fought through as the football he played. A Chandler, Arizona native and the son of former NFL safety Toby Wright, Javin persevered through a blood clot diagnosis and multiple lost seasons at Nebraska before finally becoming a full-time starter as a senior.
Path to the league
Wright, out of Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona, committed to Nebraska and spent six seasons with the Cornhuskers from 2019 to 2025. Injuries limited him to just three games across his first three seasons, including a lost 2020 season and a 2021 blood clot diagnosis that required surgery, before he developed into a full-time starter. He went unselected in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed with Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent.
Career highlights
Wright appeared in 46 games over six seasons at Nebraska, finishing his college career with 180 total tackles despite the injury-shortened start. He steadily built a role, posting 51 tackles and two interceptions in 2023 before taking over as a full-time starter in his final season.
2025 season recap
In his senior season, Wright started for the first time in his career and led Nebraska with 86 tackles and nine tackles for loss, adding three sacks, an interception and four passes defensed. The breakout year earned him an invite to the 2026 American Bowl and, after going unselected in the draft, a rookie free-agent contract with the Buccaneers.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Javin Wright
- ESPN: Javin Wright
- NBC Sports: Bucs sign undrafted rookie LB Javin Wright
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Nebraska
- Hometown
- Chandler, AZ, USA
- Age
- 26
- Status
- active
