Texas Football: 3 notable nuggets from first day of spring practice

Payton Kirkland is the lone early enrollee to get second-team OL reps

There were quite a few nuggets to read into along the offensive line for offensive line coach/offensive coordinator Kyle Flood and the Longhorns on March 6. From the movement along the interior offensive line, to the looming injuries, and the progress of the underclassmen from the last two recruiting classes, there will be a ton to talk about in the trenches for Flood and the Longhorns throughout the spring.

One name that really seemed to stick out on the first day of spring practice, though, was the enormous 6-foot-6 and 370-pound true freshman offensive tackle and former three-star recruit Payton Kirkland. The Florida native offensive tackle actually worked his way up to getting second-team reps on the left side of the line on this day.

Kirkland reportedly joined the likes of redshirt freshman guard Neto Umeozulu, junior center Sawyer Goram-Welch, redshirt freshman guard Malik Agbo, and sophomore right tackle Cam Williams.

What’s worth noting is that Kirkland was the only one of the four early enrollees among the offensive linemen that signed to the Longhorns 2023 class from the high school ranks that was getting second-team reps. The other three early enrollees were all getting third-team reps along the offensive line.

It’s clear that Kirkland continues to make a big impression on the coaching staff, namely Flood, as the offseason progresses. He definitely fits the mold of what Flood and the Longhorns are looking for out of “big humans” that can really move bodies off the line of scrimmage in run blocking and pass pro. And he’s now starting to look the part with his performance in workouts and in the early stages of spring ball too.