Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Cris Tiller
Wright Named to FWAA Freshman All-American Team
1/13/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football
Becomes CSU's first true freshman honored by organization
FORT COLLINS -- When Dante Wright visited Colorado State on his recruiting trip, the staff on hand wasn't fully convinced.
He was quiet, didn't display a lot of emotion. They weren't sure if he really wanted to be in Fort Collins.
They just didn't know how to read him. But a mother does, and Stacy Wright told them her son was fully vested in the Rams after his plans at Tulane fell through. She closed with one key aspect:Â Dante is special.
The Football Writers Association of American agreed, naming Wright to the 2019 Freshman All-American team. He is the first Ram to be honored by the group since Cory James in 2012, and he is the program's first true freshman to earn the distinction.
"I knew he was special," Stacy said, "because I've been watching him play since he was 6-years old. If you look at his tape, that's the kid you're looking at. I was excited for them to see the player he was, because they had no idea, and he was going to show them who he really is."
She understood at 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, her son didn't fit the size mold some college coaches use. What she knew couldn't be measured was work ethic and heart, and Dante had those items in abundance.
What Wright showed early in the summer and fall camp opened eyes. When Brendon Fulton went down with an injury, a door opened, and Dante simply exploded through.Â
He started every game, finishing second on the team with 57 catches for 805 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 17 times for 214 yards and two additional scores. Those numbers ranked him third nationally among all freshmen with 67.1 receiving yards per game, and his total receptions ranked sixth.
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He started his career with back-to-back games of recording a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game. In successive weeks against Western Illinois and Arkansas, he posted a 75-yard receiving touchdown.
Dante knew what his mom and others felt about him, and he did, too. He just wasn't about saying the words, preferring his play to speak volumes.Â
"I believed every one of them," he said. "I tried to show what I could do this year and what I bring to the table. I have a lot of confidence, and early in the year, I got used to the college game."
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The Rams used him primarily in the slot, making it easier to utilize his skills in the running game, but he was also versatile enough in his first season to line up wide.
As electric as he was, Wright is fully focused on improving his skill set. He wants to run better routes, and he's convinced he can be more productive after the catch. An interesting concept, considering his highlight reel is filled with him making people miss and pulling away from defenders.
Â
Overall, he posted a pair of 100-yard receiving games, recorded 11 explosive all-purpose plays (six longer than 40 yards), had four games with at least one 20-yard run and seven contests with a 30-yard reception.
Confidence aside, Dante wasn't sure how his first year would play out when he left his home in Florida, or if he'd even play. His approach was to let his work in practice dictate his playing time, and then his play on the field would tell his story.
He won't talk much, but as Stacy said, that's just because he's being careful with his words, being discerning. On the field, he does the same, and it led him down a path he was more than ready to follow.
"I didn't plan on this season going the way it did," Dante said. "I don't know a lot about these awards, but all the accomplishments, they are very exciting."
He was quiet, didn't display a lot of emotion. They weren't sure if he really wanted to be in Fort Collins.
They just didn't know how to read him. But a mother does, and Stacy Wright told them her son was fully vested in the Rams after his plans at Tulane fell through. She closed with one key aspect:Â Dante is special.
The Football Writers Association of American agreed, naming Wright to the 2019 Freshman All-American team. He is the first Ram to be honored by the group since Cory James in 2012, and he is the program's first true freshman to earn the distinction.
"I knew he was special," Stacy said, "because I've been watching him play since he was 6-years old. If you look at his tape, that's the kid you're looking at. I was excited for them to see the player he was, because they had no idea, and he was going to show them who he really is."
She understood at 5-foot-10, 165 pounds, her son didn't fit the size mold some college coaches use. What she knew couldn't be measured was work ethic and heart, and Dante had those items in abundance.
What Wright showed early in the summer and fall camp opened eyes. When Brendon Fulton went down with an injury, a door opened, and Dante simply exploded through.Â
He started every game, finishing second on the team with 57 catches for 805 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed 17 times for 214 yards and two additional scores. Those numbers ranked him third nationally among all freshmen with 67.1 receiving yards per game, and his total receptions ranked sixth.
Â
He started his career with back-to-back games of recording a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game. In successive weeks against Western Illinois and Arkansas, he posted a 75-yard receiving touchdown.
Dante knew what his mom and others felt about him, and he did, too. He just wasn't about saying the words, preferring his play to speak volumes.Â
"I believed every one of them," he said. "I tried to show what I could do this year and what I bring to the table. I have a lot of confidence, and early in the year, I got used to the college game."
Â
The Rams used him primarily in the slot, making it easier to utilize his skills in the running game, but he was also versatile enough in his first season to line up wide.
As electric as he was, Wright is fully focused on improving his skill set. He wants to run better routes, and he's convinced he can be more productive after the catch. An interesting concept, considering his highlight reel is filled with him making people miss and pulling away from defenders.
Â
Overall, he posted a pair of 100-yard receiving games, recorded 11 explosive all-purpose plays (six longer than 40 yards), had four games with at least one 20-yard run and seven contests with a 30-yard reception.
Confidence aside, Dante wasn't sure how his first year would play out when he left his home in Florida, or if he'd even play. His approach was to let his work in practice dictate his playing time, and then his play on the field would tell his story.
He won't talk much, but as Stacy said, that's just because he's being careful with his words, being discerning. On the field, he does the same, and it led him down a path he was more than ready to follow.
"I didn't plan on this season going the way it did," Dante said. "I don't know a lot about these awards, but all the accomplishments, they are very exciting."
Players Mentioned
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