Jeremiah Wright pumped his arms by his side and smacked his own helmet repeatedly in adrenaline-fueled exuberance.

Auburn’s new starting left guard was hyped after planting one of his former teammates into the end zone turf at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium two weeks ago. Early in the fourth quarter of Auburn’s 48-24 loss to Ole Miss, with the Tigers facing first-and-goal from the 4-yard line, Wright drove Rebels defensive back Ladarius Tennison — an Auburn transfer and fellow 2020 signee — onto his back and into the end zone on a Jarquez Hunter run.

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It was a brief moment of instinctive, rabid celebration, but one that provided a glimpse into the type of player Wright could be after settling into a role along the offensive line following multiple position changes early in his still-fledgling career.

“He’s just a dog, man,” Auburn linebacker Owen Pappoe said. “He talks trash, too. He makes you want to be on your best game. He’s just a competitor, man. A nasty O-lineman.”

The 6-foot-5, 335-pounder made his first career start against Ole Miss prior to the bye week. He slotted in at left guard on a day Auburn found its footing in the run game, rushing for 301 yards and four scores — averaging 6.27 yards per carry. It was the Tigers’ best rushing performance against a Power 5 opponent since 2017 against Arkansas, and while it came in a loss, it still provided optimism that the offense may have turned a corner, at least when it comes to establishing the run.

That was, after all, the identity Bryan Harsin and offensive coordinator Eric Kiesau wanted to create for Auburn heading into this season. Injuries and inconsistency along the offensive line did not help the Tigers’ cause through the first half of the season, but Wright’s insertion into the starting lineup for the first time provided at least some semblance of a spark.

And a much-welcomed mean streak, as demonstrated on that fourth-quarter play down by the goal line.

“It was awesome to see that against Ole Miss with Jeremiah,” tight end John Samuel Shenker said. “And for the most part, I think most of the guys have that, they just don’t show in certain ways. But I think if we can get to that point, even early in games, where we’re just doing that and we’re real upbeat, it’s even more demoralizing for the opponent to see that, and to understand the mindset of our team. So yeah, I agree, I think seeing that from guys is awesome, especially the O-line where that’s just, that’s a physical game and that’s where games are won and lost.”

For Wright, that first career start was the culmination of a back-and-forth and somewhat fraught first two-plus years on the Plains that included four position changes and recovery from a torn ACL.

A former three-star recruit out of Selma, Wright signed with Auburn as an offensive lineman as part of its seventh-ranked 2020 recruiting class. He was the second-lowest rated player Auburn signed that cycle, but he was one then-coach Gus Malzahn felt was underrated, noting on early signing day in December 2019 that the Tigers’ staff believed if Wright was from an area like Atlanta — in more of a recruiting hotbed than small-town Selma — he “would be one of the top linemen in the country.”

By the time fall camp rolled around ahead of his freshman season, Wright made the move to defensive tackle. He played in just one of Auburn’s first five games as a true freshman in 2020, but he saw his playing time increase late in the season and playing in five of the Tigers’ final six games. He then became an early standout the following spring after Harsin and his staff took over, when Wright made a rapid push up the defensive depth chart before sustaining a torn ACL during a scrimmage at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

The injury sidelined Wright throughout last season, and when he returned to practice during prep for the Birmingham Bowl, he was back working on the offensive side of the ball. He remained on offense throughout the spring, but following a conversation with Harsin during the offseason, Wright flipped back to the defensive line for the start of fall camp.

Within two weeks, Wright was on the move again. He settled back into a role along the offensive line and quickly ingratiated himself with the second-team offensive line at left guard during the second half of preseason practices.

“Jeremiah’s always a guy I felt like could play both sides of the ball,” edge defender Derick Hall said. “He’s been disruptive on D-line, and obviously a pretty good O-lineman, too.”

Wright has played in all seven games along the offensive line for Auburn this season, and he seems to have finally found his role after a back-and-forth start to his career. Though he’s still listed as the second-team option at left guard on Auburn’s depth chart coming off the bye week, Harsin said this week that Wright has “absolutely” earned the right for more playing time.

Not only was Harsin pleased with how Wright performed in his first career start, he has been encouraged by how the massive interior lineman has responded in practice since then, noting there has been intent in Wright’s effort — and a desire to actively improve his game and grow into his new role.

Wright is still learning, of course, but as Shenker pointed out this week: All he’s missing is playing time and experience. Both of those will continue to come, beginning Saturday at 11 a.m. against Arkansas.

“He’s in the right position now,” Harsin said. “He knows that. He sees that. We certainly see it. There’s no doubt in our mind, he’s an offensive lineman. That’s where he needs to be. He’s a guard. He’s going to be a good player, and now we got to build on that this week. And I also think not only as a player, he brings some energy, some emotion, you know, and just competitiveness I think up front too just because of who he is.

“Like, that’s who he is. He’s wired that way.”

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde.