A recruiting war is heating up for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, as Mississippi State makes a surprisingly strong push for coveted transfer Jordan Seaton, armed with an advantage the Longhorns can’t match. Moreover, the Bulldogs have an advantage that Sarkisian and his team lack. 

“Sources: Colorado transfer offensive tackle Jordan Seaton is on a visit to Mississippi State,” ESPN insider Pete Thamel reported on January 15.

The Buffs’ transfer offensive tackle is already done with his first visit after hitting the portal on January 12. The moment Seaton re-entered the market, the assumption was a blue-blood brawl.

Instead, Mississippi State crashed the party, shocking the recruiting world and getting the first visit from a left tackle. It’s crucial because a left tackle can reshape an offense by providing superior blindside protection for the quarterback.

What could tip the scales for Mississippi State is the Phil Loadholt factor. Deion spearheaded Seaton’s original recruitment to Colorado alongside offensive line coach Loadholt. Before his Colorado chapter, Loadholt crossed paths with Jeff Lebby at Oklahoma.

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So, when Lebby needed an offensive line coach at Mississippi State, he counted on Loadholt.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, the offensive tackle is expected to make at least one more SEC swing before heading to the Forty Acres. This might have broken Sarkisian’s confidence and put him on alert, as he counted on the NIL factor to be enough to woo Seaton.

Elite offensive tackles typically command $500k to $1.2 million in the NIL market. But Nakos projects Seaton could hit a jaw-dropping $2 million. Money won’t be a problem for Texas, which reportedly shelled out $3 million to $3.5 million to land Cam Coleman.

The Longhorns are hungry for Seaton, sitting with the nation’s No. 2 class when combining recruits and portal talent. Landing a game-changing offensive lineman like him could be the key to toppling Ohio State next season.

However, the Longhorns’ pursuit might be over after they added Wake Forest offensive tackle Melvin Siani, a projected starter, leading to speculation that Sarkisian is backing away from the pricey 5-star. 

If Texas exits the race, several programs are emerging as frontrunners in the pursuit of Seaton.

Power programs eyeing Jordan Seaton

The power programs are already sniffing around Seaton, and Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks just pulled a bold move. The move comes as their quarterback, Dante Moore, passed on the 2026 NFL Draft, making the Ducks an even more attractive destination. 

“Wait, Dante Moore came back?” the excited Colorado transfer wrote on X.

With Oregon returning one of the nation’s top quarterbacks and potentially entering 2026 as the No. 1 team, it’s no surprise that Seaton’s interest is piqued. 

Meanwhile, Michael Irvin has been Coach Prime’s confidant since the duo played for the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s. With the transfer portal swirling, even Irvin tried to steal Seaton away.

“If you are going to leave my boy @DeionSanders, you might as well come and see his boy @CanesFootball ME!!!,” he wrote, resharing Recruits CFB’s tweet.

With Francis Mauigoa and Markel Bell headed to the NFL, Miami is looking to add Jordan Seaton. Mississippi State may be in the mix, but they’re far from the only team Texas should fear.