We live in Burkeville, TX. These plants are growing in sandy soil on our county road under utility easement. Been here 20+ years and never remember seeing. They are tall(from 3 to 6 feet) with seed pod like blooms at ends of stalk.

It looks like a species of Froelichia to me. There are a couple that grow in your general area.
Froelichia floridana and Froelichia gracilis


Snake-cotton (Froelichia floridana) is the only one we have picture of in the database

It does look like Cottonweed. My eyes aren't good but it looks more like F. floridana to me. More photos here for comparison of F. floridana:
http://www.illinoiswildflowers...
http://www.southeasternflora.c...

For comparison, Photos of F. gracilis:
http://www.wildflower.org/plan...
http://www.missouriplants.com/...

Looking closer at the distribution maps, I see F. floridana is the only one recorded in his county, but F. gracilis has been recorded in Sabine County which is just a few miles north of Burkeville. So it's possible but it's most likely F. floridana. I have no clue how to tell them apart positively.

Nice patch of snake cotton there...
I transplanted one of mine from the end of the drive into my garden a few years ago...
With a bit of improved soil and a bit of watering... Makes an attractive garden plant... To my way of thinking...
As an annual, the important thing is identifying the seedlings in the spring... And avoiding accidentally uprooting them...

If yer interested, I'll look through my pics and see if I can't find some seedling shots...