I'm pretty sure I saw some PKFers on here that would be the ones to chat with about South Padre Island's prospects as a January/February kiteboard destination.

Could it be? Should I look into it? Beginner friendly place to play?

Very beginner friendly on the bay side. Miles and miles of shallow flatwater. There's a dedicated private kite/windsurfing beach called the North Flats. www.southpadreislandkiteboarding.com sells the month/year passes to access it.

If you want free flatwater riding, you can ride the South Flats, but boaters/fisherman/jetskiers sometimes use that area to launch/fish/play in as well.

If you want nice sand and waves, just walk across the boulevard and hit the Gulf side.

The north and south flats can also be used for land kiting as well. The North Flats are better for it in my opinion.

As far as Jan/Feb, I've pulled off sessions there in both of those months. You'll either be riding cold fronts or the SouthEasterly winds. Bring a shorty and a fullbody wetsuit just in case.

There's 3 kiteboarding shops there too in case you need/want gear:
www.airpadre.com
www.southpadreislandkiteboarding.com
www.xlkites.com