Fresno State football gets commitment from a name many fans are familiar with

Just like his dad, Rodney Wright III will be playing for Fresno State.

The Clovis West High senior running back/wide receiver has given an oral commitment to the Bulldogs for the 2018 recruiting class.

“I just felt like it was a great opportunity for me heading into next year,” Wright said Monday. “I took an official visit over the weekend and it was great. Got to talk to coach (Jeff) Tedford one-on-one, the receivers coach and all other coaches – offensive coordinator (Kalen) DeBoer – and it just felt like a great fit for me.”

Wright, listed at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, had 67 receptions for 796 yards and 109 carries for 681 yards this past season. He finished with a team-leading 25 touchdowns – 15 on the ground and 10 in the air.

For his career, Wright accumulated 160 receptions to become the school’s all-time leader, breaking Mike Noel’s record. Wright also set the school’s single-season record this past season with 67 receptions.

In 2001, Rodney Wright II had a nation-leading 104 catches with quarterback David Carr for Fresno State, including a 13-reception, 299-yard, two-touchdown performance to close that season against Michigan State in the Silicon Valley Football Classic.

Wright III said Air Force and Cal Poly expressed interest, and choosing Fresno State didn’t have anything to do with what his father wanted.

“My dad was super excited that I wanted to go there,” he said. “He can’t stop talking about it. He was super happy for me, but at the end of the day it was my decision. He wasn’t forcing me to do anything.”

This season, freshman running back Ronnie Rivers played for the Bulldogs. Rivers’ dad, Ron, played for the Bulldogs from 1991 to 1993.

The Bulldogs are 9-4 and will play in the Hawaii Bowl against Houston on Dec. 24 – quite the turnaround after a 1-11 season in 2016.

“Tedford is a great coach,” Wright III said. “I wanted to be a part of what he has going on to bring that Bulldog spirit to where it belongs and the history of the game. It’s only going to get better from here.”

▪ Two days after Central fell in a CIF Northern California Regional bowl game, Grizzlies running Jevon Bigelow gave an oral commitment to Wyoming on Sunday night.

The early signing period for football is Dec. 20-22.

This story was originally published December 11, 2017 at 7:45 PM with the headline "Fresno State football gets commitment from a name many fans are familiar with."