The elite Texas prospect breaks down how a former NFL star’s coaching style and Utah’s gritty identity have the Utes contending with the nation’s top powerhouses.
The Utah Utes continue to build its board in the 2028 class, and Lovejoy offensive lineman Mac Horton is a name worth knowing.
The 6-foot-6, 285-pound Texas prospect has seen his recruitment take off, with programs like Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon and others getting involved. But Utah has made an early impression, and offensive line coach Jordan Gross is a big reason why.
For Horton, the Utah offer was one that held weight.
“The Utah offer was a really special moment for me,” Horton told me. “Coach Gross delivered the offer, and I was extremely excited and grateful to have the opportunity.”
That relationship has continued to grow since then.
Gross gives Utah a pretty unique pitch with offensive linemen. He played at Utah, became a first-round NFL Draft pick and spent more than a decade in the league. Now he gets to take that experience and use it to develop the next group of offensive linemen in Salt Lake City.
For Horton, it is not just Gross’ playing career that stands out. He likes the way he coaches the position.
“Since then, my relationship with Coach Gross has continued to grow, and I really like how he coaches the offensive line and emphasizes physicality and development,” Horton said.
That fits pretty cleanly with what Utah wants to be up front.
Physical offensive line play has been part of the program’s identity for a long time, and under Gross, the Utes have another strong development pitch to take to recruits.
“Utah’s identity up front definitely stands out to me,” Horton said.
He already has the frame you want at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds. Finding the right place to develop over the next several years is going to be a major part of this recruitment.
And Utah is not the only major program involved.
Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon and others have entered the picture as Horton’s recruitment continues to grow, but the Utes have done enough early to keep themselves right in the mix.
“With my recruitment taking off with schools like Texas, Texas A&M, Oregon and others, Utah is a school I’m very excited about and want to continue building a relationship with,” Horton said.
There is still a long way to go here, and Horton is not rushing anything.
When it eventually comes time to make a decision, he already has a pretty good idea of what will matter most.
“The biggest factors will be the relationships with the coaches, development, academics, the culture and finding the place that feels like home,” Horton said.
The next big step for Utah could be getting him to Salt Lake City.
Horton told me he is hoping to make his first trip out to Utah this season, with one game in particular standing out as a possibility.
“I’m also hoping to get out to Salt Lake City for a visit, potentially for the BYU game, which would be a great opportunity to experience the program and campus.”
That would be a big visit for Utah.
The Utes have already gotten Horton’s attention from a distance. Gross has built a relationship, Utah’s identity up front fits what he is looking for, and development is going to carry real weight in his eventual decision.
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