Jake Thornton: Auburn football OL will be built around upperclassman

Every Auburn football fan is hoping to see a revamped offensive line in 2023. With the hiring of head coach Hugh Freeze came a lot of new o-linemen, from high school prospects to transfers and former JUCO players, but there are several key returners on the roster, as well.

Last season, Jeremiah Wright was able to make a name for himself on the offensive side of the ball after injuries took out several players and left holes on the roster that needed to be filled. Wright was initially recruited as an OL but switched over to the defense ahead of his first season on the Plains.

After missing the 2021 season while recovering from surgery, Wright returned to game action in 2022 as an offensive lineman, which is a role he will continue to play in 2023 according to new offensive line coach Jake Thornton.

AL.com reports that defensive line coach Jeremy Garrett was interested in bringing Wright back to the defense, but Thornton had no plans to remove Wright from the OL:

"“Oh, I’m not letting him go,” Thornton said last month. “…I said, ‘No, he’s an offensive lineman.’ He’s going to be a huge, huge part of our offense, and he’s going to be somebody we’re going to build this unit around.”"

After so much switching around during his first few years on the Plains, Wright is ready to make his mark on the offensive line this season. Even with so many new linemen, Wright is expected to be a starter at left guard this fall and is working hard to maintain a high level of toughness and develop the mentality of an offensive lineman.

With Coach Thornton’s belief that Wright can be one of the best offensive linemen in the league, the junior has every opportunity to become a major impact player for Auburn football this season.