ESPN: Saints rookie offensive lineman could make 'instant impact'

Yahoo Sports1h ago14 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

Saints rookie offensive lineman Jeremiah Wright, drafted in the fourth round, is expected to make an immediate impact. He has a chance to replace Cesar Ruiz in the starting lineup due to his strong performance at Auburn and the Senior Bowl.

Key points

Jeremiah Wright was drafted by the Saints in the fourth round.
He played right guard for Auburn.
Wright is expected to compete for a starting position.
He showcased strong performance at the Senior Bowl.
ESPN identified him as a potential instant impact player.

New Orleans SaintsAuburn Tigers

ESPN: Saints rookie offensive lineman could make 'instant impact'

Did the New Orleans Saints just pick a new starter in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft? Former Auburn Tigers right guard Jeremiah Wright has an uphill battle ahead of him if he's going to replace Cesar Ruiz in the starting lineup, but he might have a chance to do just that. ESPN's Field Yates highlighted Wright as one of this year's late-round picks who could make an instant impact:

"The Saints wanted to get tougher, nastier and more physical during the draft and did exactly that by adding Wright at the end of Round 4. The hulking 6-foot-5, 331-pounder mostly anchored the right guard spot for Auburn, showing off serious power in the running game. His competitive spirit was visible at practices during Senior Bowl week, and he should be in the running for early snaps in New Orleans' offense."

Wright was a standout at the Senior Bowl -- Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas, head coach of the American Team at the all-star game, singled him out for a one-on-one matchup with his Alabama rival LT Overton (who ended up being drafted five slots behind him). Wright won the rep:

Wright plays with the exact kind of mean streak he'll need to succeed in the NFL, but he needs more reps. He initially played on the Auburn defensive line in 2020 before suffering a knee injury that sidelined him for all of 2021. When he healed up, Auburn's coaching staff had turned over and he moved to the offensive line full-time, but he didn't start a full season until 2024. Now he's a 25-year old rookie with just two seasons of starter's reps behind him. He's landed in a good spot to develop and push Ruiz, but it may be too much to expect Wright to start in September.