AUBURN — It's been quite the ride for Auburn football veteran Jeremiah Wright.

A three-star recruit in the Class of 2020 who committed to the Tigers over Tennessee and Georgia Tech, Wright was scouted as an offensive lineman but flipped to the defensive side of the ball during the preseason ahead of his freshman campaign.

Wright played sparingly in 2020 — 72 defensive snaps over six appearances, per Pro Football Focus — and was poised to play more as a sophomore, but he tore his ACL in March 2021 and underwent season-ending surgery. He returned in December and was able to participate in bowl practices, a period in which he flipped back to the offensive line.

Then came another change, shifting back to a role on defense during the 2022 preseason. By the time the regular season rolled around, though, Wright switched once again to the offensive line. He's been there since, appearing in every game last season while managing minor injuries throughout his senior year.

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Now a fifth-year player, Wright is all but cemented as Auburn's starting right guard in 2024. He grabbed hold of that position during the spring, and he's yet to release his grip. After nearly half a decade of injuries and a nomadic football lifestyle, the pieces finally seem to be coming together for Wright.

"I feel way better," Wright said Friday. "... I've done been through fall camp for the first time since I've been here, and just being under (offensive line) coach (Jake) Thornton, him helping me develop and get my fundamental and technique under me, it's been going very good for me. ...

"Since I've been here as a freshman, I've been going O-line, D-line, O-line, D-line, and finally back to O-line. Now under coach Thornton, learning, everything is just going good for me."

Wright didn't register a start last season, but he was a participant on special teams for all 13 games and came off the bench as an offensive lineman in 11 contests. He played 44 snaps against Maryland in the Music City Bowl, according to Pro Football Focus, and finished with an offensive grade of 75.3. That ranked No. 2 amongst Auburn's offensive players, with backup quarterback Hank Brown (83.8) being the only one better.

A hallmark of Wright's game is his physicality. He may not have always been the most technically sound player, but he's never been afraid of contact. In fact, he hunts it: "Running the ball," Wright said when asked about what he expects to be the strength of the offensive line. "We want to be real aggressive up front. ... We're going to be able to do run and pass, but I know me. I'm aggressive, and I've got a couple guys to my right and my left — big Percy (Lewis) — we're ready to move some guys."

Wright's aggression and propensity for mixing it up is part of why he's getting the opportunity to start, but even he's noted how he's got to reel himself in at times.

That should be possible, because there's a reserved side of Wright that exists. Just ask fifth-year senior Zykeivous Walker, a defensive lineman who's watched Wright emerge from each of the setbacks he's faced.

“He’s a little meatball," Walker said of Wright. "At the end of the day, he’s just a big ole teddy bar. That’s all it is. Jeremiah is good people. I love him. We came in together. We’re roommates. I done did a lot of years with him.

"I love Jeremiah, and I think it’s going to be a great year for the both of us.”

Richard Silva is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at rsilva@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rich_silva18.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Jeremiah Wright: Pieces finally clicking for Auburn football OL