The New Orleans Saints may have found a gem in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Jeremiah Wright, the former Auburn Tigers right guard, is already turning heads—and ESPN's Field Yates believes he could make an "instant impact" as a rookie.

Standing at 6-foot-5 and tipping the scales at 331 pounds, Wright brings the kind of raw power and physicality that the Saints were looking for this draft season. "The Saints wanted to get tougher, nastier and more physical," Yates noted, "and they did exactly that by adding Wright at the end of Round 4."

Wright's calling card is his strength in the running game, where he anchored Auburn's right guard spot with authority. But it was his competitive fire that really caught the attention of NFL scouts—especially during Senior Bowl week. Saints running backs coach Joel Thomas, who coached the American Team at the all-star event, singled out Wright for a one-on-one matchup against his Alabama rival, LT Overton. Wright won that rep decisively, and the moment didn't go unnoticed.

Still, Wright's path to the starting lineup isn't without hurdles. He began his college career on Auburn's defensive line in 2020 before a knee injury sidelined him for the entire 2021 season. After healing up, he switched to offensive line full-time under a new coaching staff, but didn't become a full-time starter until 2024. Now a 25-year-old rookie with just two seasons of starter's reps under his belt, Wright will need to continue developing—and fast—if he wants to challenge incumbent starter Cesar Ruiz.

Ruiz, for his part, has heard the criticism and is motivated to prove his worth. That sets up a compelling training camp battle. Whether Wright can unseat Ruiz by September remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the Saints have added a player with the grit, size, and mentality to compete for early snaps. For a team looking to rebuild its offensive line identity, Wright might just be the spark they need.