At rookie minicamp, it's a little easier with the receivers and defensive backs to see at least some of the attributes that made them desirable draft picks for the New Orleans Saints.
Speed, hands, hip turns and ball skills aren't at the highest level of display during rookie minicamp, but there are enough bread crumbs to show that there's plenty to work with for six of the seven draft selections — three receivers, a tight end and two defensive backs — who participated.
Not so much for the linemen.
The best evaluation of them comes when the pads are on and the imposition of will commences. So for now, it's a technique world for offensive guard Jeremiah Wright the first of New Orleans' two fourth-round picks (No. 132 overall).
"Big guys are ready to go out there and dominate and hit each other," Wright said. "But I'll just say that we're still just taking everything all in — attention to details and locking in to know what coach has for us and going from there. Got to have attention to detail. Technique is a big one. Got to hone in to all the details — that's going to help you become a great player."
The former Auburn standout started 24 consecutive games at right guard to close out his college career. Wright spent six seasons at Auburn; he missed 2021 with an injury and began his career at defensive tackle before switching to offense.
"I played both sides of the ball, so that helped a lot," he said. "But also, just seeing the guys before me — older guys, learning from them and being able to step up and lead the younger guys that were coming in. Keep working, keep your head down because there have been challenges."
Particularly the injury that kept him sidelined all year. "That kind of molded me, also taught me patience. That's a word that me and my mom, my grand mom harped on during that time when I was hurt. I know I was ready to win a starting job and ready to help the team compete for a championship, but that setback helped shape and mold me into the man that I am today."
Regardless, it's not as if the Saints staff has no in-person knowledge of Wright in pads.
Saints assistant head coach/running backs coach Joel Thomas was head coach for the American team this year at the Senior Bowl, and several members of New Orleans' coaching staff assisted Thomas. Wright was a member of the American team and served as a team captain, so there's a level of familiarity of having coached Wright through a week of practices and interviewed him.
"Interior D-linemen, offensive linemen, this is going to be a little bit of a challenging venue for them to participate," Saints coach Kellen Moore said. "It's a ton of individual work, it's a ton of teaching and the physical component will come. We had a couple of these guys at the Senior Bowl, an added bonus to this whole entire draft process."
Wright, who was a team captain in the Senior Bowl, said New Orleans felt like home because of the prior connection with the coaching staff. The time will come with the Saints where he'll be able to show all he can do.
"When your time comes, you've got to be ready to answer," he said. "I'm going to come in and work hard, do everything I need to do to win the older guys' respect, but also just be me, too. Go out there and practice hard, be a bully and help this team get to a Super Bowl, win our division. That's our goal."
UPDATES FROM THE ROOKIE ROSTER
...Jordyn Tyson was at the Saints facility Saturday, but did not participate in the second and final day of rookie minicamp. Moore said maintenance was the reason, rather than injury.
"Had a few guys not out there, but that's just building maintenance plans for these guys and building these guys' programs to get them ready to go from a football perspective," Moore said. "That's just part of this process of getting to know these guys, getting them into our system and building these guys a plan so they're ready to go, particularly for training camp and all that sort of stuff. Building these guys up the right way for OTAs."
