Khaled Holmes, Brandon Baker's high school OL coach, believes the Mater Dei product is ready for the spotlight

Former USC and Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman Khaled Holmes returned to his alma mater at Mater Dei a few years ago as offensive line coach. The former first-team All-Pac 12 offensive lineman has seen a lot of talented players play for the Monarchs in recent years, including several high-quality and highly sought-after offensive linemen.

One of those linemen? Texas sophomore Brandon Baker.

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Baker, the No. 34 overall prospect in the 2024 Rivals Industry Ranking, signed with the Longhorns out of Mater Dei and chose Texas over Nebraska, Oregon, USC, Ohio State, and Georgia. He sat behind Cam Williams and Kelvin Banks last year, playing in eight games as a backup.

Williams and Banks departed Texas for the NFL after the 2024 season, leaving Trevor Goosby as the likely successor to Banks at left tackle. At right tackle, there was supposed to be a camp battle but Andre Cojoe suffered a season-ending injury and thus the Longhorns lost one of the competitors for the right tackle spot.

That means Baker is almost assuredly going to get the nod at right tackle to start the season. And Holmes believes Baker is more than prepared for the moment.

“He’s absolutely been a kid that’s been mature beyond his years since he started at Mater Dei,” Holmes told Inside Texas. “He’s everything you want in terms of an offensive lineman, but also as a young man. High character, super hard worker, great communicator, takes responsibility, and obviously has all the tools that you would want at that tackle spot at the next level and beyond.”

Unlike other top-40 prospects, Baker may not be the best athlete to ever walk the halls at his high school. Mater Dei has produced several five-star prospects and three Heisman Trophy winners. It’s a competitive program with talent that could battle other state’s all-star teams and likely emerge victorious. Holmes saw Baker thrive in that environment during his time wearing Monarch red.

“It’s such a competitive program that we run here that we’re so blessed and so fortunate to have the young men that we do have,” Holmes said. “I think that really helps separate us and helps the guys develop and be more college ready when the time does come. Him specifically, never shied away from owning mistakes. Never shied away from challenging himself to get better, most importantly. As coaches, we can only pass so much to the guy. At some point, they have to take it upon themselves, challenge themselves, and push themselves. He always did that, that’s definitely something that separates him.”

What separates Baker as a tackle? Holmes mentioned length, build, knee bend and mobility, and ankle mobility. All those things Holmes listed were what drew Kyle Flood to Baker a few years ago.

“Brandon, he is naturally gifted as an athlete,” Holmes said. “He’s an extremely smooth athlete, and it shows up in his pass sets. It shows up in his footwork. Honestly, to the untrained eye, sometimes that can work against you as a young guy trying to show out because so much for him looked effortless. That being said, early on, he flipped the switch in terms of the way he attacked practice and everything we asked of him here. There was so much growth in terms of just the violence he showed with his hands and his overall demeanor and aggression.”

Baker will have to continue to rise as camp progresses. He had his moments, good and bad, during the Longhorns’ most recent scrimmage. Baker’s motivation has to be the drive to better himself as his competition for the RT spot is on the mend in Cojoe and the banged up Nick Brooks.

When Baker likely takes the field in Columbus later this month, Holmes believes he’ll be ready.

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“With Brandon specifically being on the stage, I mentioned his maturity before,” Holmes said. “I know he’s a very calm, very cool, very collected young man. I know the lights won’t be too bright for him, and he’s going to show out. I think he’s going to be ready. Coach Flood I’m sure has gotten him ready in that first year he had with him. Very exciting, very fulfilling, and I just couldn’t be happier for him.”