USC’s Wright Goes to Miami in Fifth Round

Manuel Wright, a backup defensive tackle at USC last season, was selected by the Miami Dolphins on Thursday in the fifth round of the NFL supplemental draft.

Wright, who left school because of academic eligibility issues, was the only player selected in the draft. Teams had expressed interest in a few other available players, among them Clemson receiver Roscoe Crosby and Nevada Las Vegas cornerback Charles Ealy.

Projected to start this season for the Trojans, Wright, 6 feet 5 and 329 pounds, had 23 tackles in 11 games in 2004. He backed up first-round pick Mike Patterson and second-rounder Shaun Cody.

“We felt fortunate to get Manuel in this slot,” Dolphin Coach Nick Saban said in a statement. “Because of his size and speed, he’s got a great deal of potential, and we will work with him to improve consistency in his performance.”

By selecting Wright, the Dolphins gave up their fifth-round choice in next spring’s draft.

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-- Sam Farmer