Browns' Scooby Wright impressing coaches in offseason

The Cleveland Browns used the last of their 14 draft picks to take linebacker Scooby Wright out of Arizona, and it appears it's a selection they're happy with.

Wright's work in offseason minicamps has been praised by inside linebackers coach Johnny Holland, who's predicting big things for the 250th overall player drafted.

"He's done an excellent job of trying to learn our defense, working very hard. He's going to have a bright future," Holland said early in June, according to Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. "Scooby plays with the effort that we like. He's a very intense player, and he had a lot of production in college."

Wright fell to the Browns late in the draft because of his perceived deficiencies in size and speed, but could end up being a steal if he continues to work and play with the kind of attitude that's led some executives to compare him to former Miami Dolphins Pro Bowler Zac Thomas.

"His production he had as a college football player his sophomore year, if he had been healthy, there's a possibility he could have gone higher (in the draft)," Holland said. "Scooby always plays with a chip on his shoulder. (People) probably told him can't do certain things, and I think that motivated him to play."

"He's shown he's overcome (skepticism about his speed and size) 'cause he's been a defensive player of the year, won all the awards and made a lot of plays," Holland continued. "...Smart players, there's a place for them in this league. Everybody's not a 4.5 guy (in the 40-yard dash), and everybody's not 6-3, 245 pounds, but Scooby has something that you want in a player. He has heart. He works hard. He wants to be good. He comes to work every day. He's a lunch-pail guy, and we like those kind of guys."

It's likely Wright will have to earn his keep on special teams as a rookie before transitioning into a rotational role among the Browns' linebacking corps. But with a major talent deficiency on a rebuilding roster, Wright may be in the perfect spot to be a rare success story of the seventh round.