Defensive back Tyrese Wright is officially joining the Indoor Football League, signing with the Bay Area Panthers for the 2025 season. The six-foot-even defender brings his talents to Bay Area following a decorated playing career at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ.
Wright is absolutely one of the top rookies to watch this year. He has all the physical abilities and natural instincts to thrive in this league and beyond.
Upon agreeing to play in the IFL last October, Wright professed, “I feel the Bay Area Panthers are a great fit for me because of the winning culture that's been established. I believe that's a perfect place for me to fit in with the same winning culture I've been raised on ever since I started playing football.”
At Monmouth, Wright was a steady and dependable presence over four campaigns. He started 41 games at safety for the Hawks, appearing in 50 total contests. He produced his best season in 2023, earning All-Colonial honors for a second time behind 61 tackles, 5.5 TFL (incl. 2.5 sacks), five passes defended and two forced fumbles. He graduated from Monmouth that same year with a degree in Health Studies.
Wright attended high school in his hometown of Bridgeport, CT at Capital Prep Harbor. There, he shined on both sides of the football, performing admirably at quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back.
A prolific passer, Wright threw the pigskin for nearly 4,100 yards throughout his prep career en route to a 2018 All-State designation. Conversely, he logged 263 total tackles for the Sharks prior to graduating in 2019.
Panthers Head Coach Rob Keefe—a defensive guru—is ecstatic to have the multi-dimensional Wright aboard for the 2025 campaign, telling BayAreaPanthers.com, “[Wright’s] ability to play in the box, take on blockers near the line of scrimmage, and cover athletes in space creates matchup versatility that helps strengthen our defense.”
Wright has all the tools to succeed in the IFL: tangible and intangible. Keep an eye out for him policing the secondary at SAP Center with controlled ferocity.
