It wasn’t too long ago that David Ochoa and Cesar Rodriguez showed up on campus looking like linebackers – not exactly desirable size for an offensive lineman.

A red-shirt year for each focused on a massive weight-gaining mission. It worked, too – each got up to around 280 pounds and were starters on the Kansas University offensive line the last three years.

That’s proof that KU’s staff can bulk up these incoming offensive linemen if they need to.

But they can take a break this year.

The Jayhawks have signed three offensive linemen in this year’s recruiting class who come in heralded – and big as boats. Chet Hartley weighs in at 305 pounds coming out of Butler Community College. High school star Jeremiah Hatch already is 311, and fellow prepster Jeff Spikes is a massive 6-foot-6, 315 pounds.

Hartley, a Kingman native, showed up as a mid-year transfer and already is blending in. He’s expected to compete for one of the starting guard spots, speculation that KU coach Mark Mangino confirmed Wednesday.

“He’s really looked good in the winter workouts. We really have high regard for him,” Mangino said. “We think he’s going to have an impact immediately. In fact, we know he will.”

Hartley played two years as Butler Community College’s left tackle, though he moved around in practice. His recruiting came down to Kansas, Florida State and Illinois. Another happy twist for Hartley is that Illinois’ lead recruiter for Hartley was Ed Warinner. Right after Hartley went to Kansas, Warinner was hired as KU’s offensive coordinator.

While Hartley could see the field immediately, Hatch and Spikes probably won’t. Spikes already has told reporters that he’s going to red-shirt this fall, as most true-freshman linemen do.

Spikes was a late addition to the recruiting class who may have gotten more attention if injuries didn’t plague his high-school career. He’s had stress fractures in both feet, which derailed a promising prep career before it really got going. He didn’t play extensively until his senior season.

“He was a little bit gimped up going into his senior year,” Mangino said. “But you watch him on tape, and you meet him in person, he is as impressive an offensive lineman as we’ve recruited here, period, and for me personally, for a long time.

“He has some growing to do and maturing and those things, but he’s every bit of 6-6. He’s about 315 pounds. He’s a yes-sir no-sir guy. He’s averaging double-doubles on his basketball team. He’s the prototype of what we’re looking for on offensive tackles.”

Jeremiah Hatch, second from right, waits with, from left, his grandmother Ruth Ann Hatch; mother, Shannon McNeal; and grandmother Ardell McNeal for his name to be called for signing day Wednesday at Ellis Davis Fieldhouse in Dallas. Hatch, a Carter High product, signed with Kansas University, making himself one of three 300-plus pound offensive linemen to ink with the Jayhawks in this year's KU class.

Then there’s Hatch, a Dallas Carter High senior who will come to Lawrence already having an advantage over most highly recruited linemen – he has loads of experience snapping the football.

“It is tough to find true centers out of high school,” Rivals.com analyst Jon Kirby said.

The expected impact for all three linemen vary wildly. But KU’s new trio may be more ready than past Jayhawks for one simple reason – physically, they’re right where they need to be.

“When you see them in person, they look the part,” Mangino said. “And they play the part.”