A five-star left tackle hits the portal. Can A&M's offensive line seize the opportunity to solidify its future and protect its quarterback?
Texas A&M’s 2026 offensive line is about to look like one of those “after” photos on a home renovation show - same foundation, totally different faces.
Four 2025 veterans are moving on due to eligibility and NFL Draft plans, so Mike Elko and offensive line coach Adam Cushing jumped into the portal like it was a Black Friday doorbuster.
They’ve already stacked the cart with likely replacements, including former Aggie commit Coen Echols, who took the scenic route through LSU before finding his way back.
Then Jordan Seaton hit the portal, and every Power 4 staff reacted.
Seaton started at left tackle for Colorado as a sophomore, and early buzz has Oregon and Texas as the first teams out of the blocks, with Texas A&M lurking in the chase.
Here’s the real tension ... does A&M need him if the room feels solid? The better question is whether you can afford not to try.
Elite left tackles are scarce, development isn’t linear, and offensive line chemistry is fragile. Even if you like your current plan, adding a proven, high-upside tackle raises your ceiling and protects your floor.
It also buys flexibility when injuries, shuffle weeks, or a young player’s growing pains show up.
The pitch for Seaton shouldn’t be complicated. If his goal is the NFL, the next stop should be about a development track, not just a number. A&M can sell SEC edge rushers every week, a staff that can map out his technique progression, and a program that can turn “five-star potential” into “first-round tape.”
NIL is part of the conversation, sure, but the schools that win these battles usually win with a plan: how you’ll be coached, how you’ll be used, and how you’ll be showcased.
For Aggies fans watching this unfold, the tell will be urgency.
If A&M gets him on campus quickly and makes it a priority, that’s a real push. If it’s a casual monitoring posture, that’s tire-kicking without commitment.
Either way, Elko should make the call, because when a five-star left tackle becomes available, the correct response isn’t to admire your depth chart. It’s to take a swing.