Auburn defensive tackle Jeremiah Wright is progressing in his recovery from a spring ACL tear but will not be cleared to return to the field this season.
Auburn coach Bryan Harsin announced Monday that the 6-foot-5, 338-pounder will miss the remainder of the season, though he has made promising steps in his rehab process. Wright, who underwent surgery on his left knee in the spring, has been cleared to run and has been a limited participant in recent practices, with Harsin noting that he was in shoulder pads during the bye week.
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“I wish he could (return),” Harsin said. “... He’s out there doing things. Will he be ready to play this year? No, he’s not going to be ready to play this year.”
Auburn is being cautious in its approach to Wright’s recovery, choosing to not rush a return to action for the Selma native who was an early standout in spring practices.
A former offensive line signee, Wright moved to the defensive side of the ball prior to the start of his freshman season in 2020 to provide the Tigers with additional depth along the defensive line. He appeared in six games and had four total tackles as a freshman, but he made a leap in his development during the second half of the year and carried that into the offseason and through the start of spring practices under a new coaching staff and defensive scheme.
Wright was seen getting first-team reps at defensive tackle in Auburn’s 3-4 and 4-3 fronts early in spring practice, and he appeared to be a breakout candidate on that side of the ball. However, he tore his ACL during a scrimmage on March 25 and underwent surgery to repair it shortly thereafter.
“You don’t want to reinjure an ACL; you want to make sure that guys are completely healthy, fully at that full strength, full capacity where they can make all the moves and things they have to do to play at their level,” Harsin said. “But it’s good to see him out there. He’s running with the guys, he’s got pads on. He’s got help. He’s got a helmet on at times, so it’s just good to have him out there.”
Though Wright will not see the field this season, Harsin expressed plenty of excitement about his progress and optimism for his future along the defensive line for Auburn.
“He’s got a vibe about him that you want on this team,” Harsin said “He’s got, I think, leadership qualities that you want on this team. He is very aware of what’s going on with this football team, so the more he’s around, the better that we are. I wish he could play. We could use him. That guy would be a difference maker for us without a question.
Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.
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