AUBURN | There’s been no quick fixes for Auburn’s offensive line over Jake Thornton’s first two seasons.

But going into year three, Thornton finally feels like he has the right combination of experience, depth and talent to put a productive group on the field.

“Competition breeds greatness. It's been a process, it takes years to build an O-line,” said Thornton. “We finally got some actual competition at different positions. So it's really good.”

The Tigers return seven offensive linemen that have combined for 115 college starts. Thornton added to that in the offseason signing left tackle Xavier Chaplin from Virginia Tech, who has 25 career starts, and right tackle Mason Murphy from USC, who has 22 career starts.

The additions give Thornton nine players with 162 starts between them. They’ve been competing with seven other scholarship offensive linemen during spring practice, which got underway last week.

“The maturity level is certainly at an all-time high,” said Thornton. “It's good to watch those guys just with the mental effort through the first three days. We get pads on (Tuesday) so get to see more of the physicality part of it, but the mental effort and intensity has been there.”

The additions have allowed Thornton to build more versatility into his offensive line. Sophomore Tyler Johnson, who started two games at left tackle last season, is getting work at right tackle, which is a good fit for the natural right-hander.

It’s allowed Izavion Miller, known as Too Tall, to get work at left tackle after starting 25 games at right tackle over the last two seasons.

Perhaps most importantly, it allows Dillon Wade, who leads AU with 48 career starts, to completely focus on his more natural and productive position.

“We now can keep Dillon Wade at guard, which is what we aimed to do last year and did in the first part of the year before having to move him out when we were struggling,” said Thornton. “This keeps him at his natural position, the position that he needs to play to give himself the best shot at the NFL.”

Joining Wade in the experienced group competing at the three interior positions include Connor Lew, who has started 18 games at center, Jeremiah Wright, who has started 12 games at guard, Bradyn Joiner, who has started five games at guard and Tate Johnson, who has five career starts at center and guard.

“Just guys that have been in the fire and played against real competition, it just brings stability,” said Thornton. “They know how to go practice, they know the level of intensity they have to practice with because they've done it before in a live setting.

“The more starts that you've got, the more guys that you have that have experience the better opportunity you've got to go and put the five guys out there that help you win ballgames.”

Thornton also singled out redshirt freshman DeAndre Carter as a young player with a bright future at guard.

“Dre Carter, this is his first spring with us,” said Thornton. “I've been really excited about the things he's showed us on tape the first three days. He's a big body that's an athlete that has power. That's the prototype for a guard in our offense, especially in this league.

“He's done a great job. He's flashed maybe more than anybody up front in the first three days.”

Spring practice will continue over the next three weeks culminating in the A-Day game April 12.