Jeremiah
Wright.
Jeremiah
Wright.
Auburn· 6'5"· 331 lb
R4 · #132 · New Orleans Saints"Sixth-year Auburn RG with a run-game mauler streak, converted DL frame at 331 lb, and elite length for a guard — steady zone starter with pass-set fluidity as the ceiling question."Pre-draft read
Plays right guard with a stance loaded toward his front foot, indicative of his defensive-line origin. He delivers a two-hand punch on down blocks and generates significant knockdown volume for an interior blocker. He performs best on angle blocks, such as down, kick-out, and inside-zone climbs, where he can widen the shoulder and finish through contact.
In pass protection, he employs a short and vertical set, keeping his elbows tight. He recovers quickly with a snatch-and-trap technique once a rusher engages, staying engaged and rarely losing through the whistle. While redirect and lateral agility are ordinary, his signature separator is his punch; he consistently wins the hand-fight at the point of attack, leveraging it into displacement.
The Saints' offense currently incorporates a multifaceted approach that blends elements of Shanahan's wide zone scheme with traditional gap-power runs, effectively creating a balanced ground attack.
Year 1 as a depth piece, with a path to starting RG as his footwork and lateral quickness develop, providing elite run blocking on interior plays.
An Air Raid or spread RPO offense that demands quick pullers and guards who can consistently reach the second level on wide zone concepts.
Wright's power and established gap-scheme fit align well with the Saints' current offensive tendencies, particularly in dedicated run packages.
Jeremiah Wright | 2026 NFL Draft
Pre-draft scouting cut showing punch, down-block finish, and pass-set reps at right guard.
Meet the Tigers: Jeremiah Wright
Auburn feature detailing the DL-to-OG conversion, ACL recovery, and starting-role emergence.
Saints OG Jeremiah Wright on his fit in Kellen Moore's offense
Rookie interview outlining scheme fit and role expectations behind the New Orleans starting interior.
He projects as a power-first interior offensive lineman, offering a physical presence for gap and duo run schemes. His background as a defensive lineman is evident in his hand punch and finishing ability, which are his core strengths. A team acquiring him targets an experienced, albeit developmental, interior blocker with clear positional clarity, though his movement skills present a trade-off.
He began his collegiate career as a defensive lineman, sustaining an ACL tear before converting to offensive guard. After a period of transition, he became the full-time starting right guard, making 24 consecutive starts across his final two seasons. This period saw him earn recognition as Auburn's top blocker and lead his unit in knockdown blocks, underscoring his production and reliability once established.
Concerns among evaluators centered on his lateral quickness and pass-set foot speed, with his limited athletic testing profile leaving questions about his in-space movement. Consensus often placed him as a Day 3 developmental starter, with the ultimate projection dependent on whether his powerful punch could mitigate his stiffness against NFL-level speed and interior pressure. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 132nd overall pick.
- 01
Arm Length
— Elite arm length for an interior lineman at 33 1/8 inches, allowing him to win leverage early in engagements.
- 02
Play Strength
— Powerful two-handed punch, a clear win trait from his defensive line background, effectively displaces defenders.
- 03
Finishing
— Consistent finisher through the whistle, driving defenders multiple yards past the line of scrimmage.
- 04
Run Blocking Scheme Fit
— Ideal fit for gap and duo run schemes, excels on down blocks and kick-outs, using his strike to control gaps.
- 05
Durability and Consistency
— Demonstrated durability and consistency with 24 consecutive starts at right guard, earning Auburn's top blocker award.
- 01
Lateral Quickness
— Limited lateral quickness in space, struggles to mirror interior counter moves, is often late to the second level.
- 02
Pass-Set Foot Speed
— Pass-set foot speed issues against long-arm bull rushers, often gets pushed back due to a narrow base.
- 03
Twist Recognition
— Recognition of twist games is occasionally slow, leading to missed assignments and allowing interior pressure.
- 04
Athletic Testing Profile
— Incomplete athletic testing profile, as he declined most Combine drills, leaving objective athletic scores unknown to evaluators.
| Yr | Team | G |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Auburn | 6 |
| 2021 | Auburn | 0 |
| 2022 | Auburn | 12 |
| 2023 | Auburn | 13 |
| 2024 | Auburn | 12 |
| 2025 | Auburn | 12 |
| Career | — | 55 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Massive-frame interior blocker who wins with punch and finish on gap concepts while surviving in pass pro through length and hand fight.
Plus-length, power-first RG who built a long career as a plug-and-play run-game anchor without elite movement skills.
Career OL body who peaks as a solid gap-scheme starter but never adds the lateral quickness to protect against interior twist packages.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Pre-draft context Wright is a six-year Auburn player whose evaluation moved in opposite directions across his career. He arrived in 2020 as a defensive lineman recruit, tore an ACL during 2021 spring camp, and made the flip to offensive guard when he returned. It took him two more seasons to stabilize the job, but once he moved into the starting right guard slot in 2024 he never gave it back — 24 consecutive starts across 2024 and 2025, the 2024 Ken Rice Award as Auburn's top blocker, and a team-high 33 knockdown grades as a senior. At the Combine he tested only in measurables (6-5 1/8, 331, 33 1/8-inch arms, 6-11 wingspan) and let the tape carry the athletic profile. Scouts consistently graded him as a power-first interior player: heavy hands, hostile finish, comfortable on down and kick-out blocks, less comfortable when asked to redirect in space.
NFL fit — New Orleans Saints The Saints took him at 132 with a pick they acquired in the Rashid Shaheed trade, and the fit tracks: New Orleans wanted a physical interior body to compete for depth behind their starting guards and to help stabilize a run game that leaned on gap and duo concepts. He projects as a rotational third guard as a rookie with a realistic runway to start if injuries hit, and his best-case role is a plus run-game starter in a scheme that keeps him on down blocks and short pass sets. The pass-protection questions — recovery quickness against interior twist games, ability to reset feet against long-arm bull rushers — will decide whether he becomes a multi-year starter or a spot player. The organization has emphasized his punch and finish traits as the immediate translatable skill.
Retrospective Too early to grade the pick, but the pre-draft board matches the profile: a Day 3 developmental interior blocker with a real trait (hand power) and a real question (movement skills). If he settles at right guard, the evaluation ages as a value pick using a trade-acquired asset. If the movement limitations show up against NFL twist games and delayed pressure, he tops out as an emergency swing guard. The pick tells you what the Saints valued at that spot: interior power over polished technique.