Story byWescott EbertsThu, January 15, 2026 at 5:51 PM UTC·1 min readWith the spring semester already underway on the Forty Acres, there’s mounting pressure on Texas Longhorns offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Kyle Flood to secure the needed bodies along the offensive line, increasing the importance of Thursday’s visit from Jacksonville State Gamecocks offensive tackle Mason Barton. The 6’6, 315-pounder has two seasons of eligibility remaining. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAn unranked prospect out of West Memphis in the 2024 recruiting class, Barton was an overlooked recruit despite earning all-conference honors in football. After signing with Jacksonville State, Barton rotated between guard and center as a true freshman, according to his school bio, but Pro Football Focus tracked him at left tackle. Regardless of where Barton played, he was adequate as a run blocker while struggling in pass protection. In 2025, Barton was the full-time starter at left tackle, playing 673 snaps while allowing two sacks and two quarterback hits, according to PFF, which represented huge improvement as a pass blocker while maintaining approximately the same level of play in the running game. If Texas is able to land Barton, he projects as a potential starter on the interior while providing depth at the tackle position.