Longhorns Have Great Problem At WR With Johntay Cook's Emergence

Johntay Cook might be a freshman, but he's been a highlight reel for the Longhorns in practice.

When he attacks, few can contain him. His routes are clean like fresh bedsheets removed from a dryer. 

Speaking of bed, he's going to put defensive backs to sleep with his combination of speed and fluidity in space during his time in Austin. 

Most folks probably think this describes All-Big 12 standout Xavier Worthy. It does, but it also encaptures freshman Johntay Cook's dismantling of Texas' defensive backs in practice since his arrival from DeSoto.

Even Worthy can't ignore the similarities between the two. 

"My young me is a Johntay. We basically look the same," Worthy said at Big 12 Media Days in Arlington. 

"Same person," senior receiver Jordan Whittington responded. 

Since joining the Horns as an early enrollee this spring, Cook has made his presence known. Then again, those who keep up with high school football already knew what the 6-foot, 184-pounder could do when working the field.

As a senior, Cook caught 84 passes for 1,469 yards and 22 touchdowns, helping DeSoto win the 6A Division 2 state championship. Four months later in the Orange-White spring game, he was making highlight grabs again, this time coming on a 79-yard touchdown pass from Maalik Murphy. 

Maalik Murphy hitting Johntay Cook deep for the TD 🤘@SmvOperator x @_jayythegreat_ pic.twitter.com/GulYTCK0UE

— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 15, 2023

The play left coach Steve Sarkisian beaming on the sidelines. In the stands, Texas fans were salivating at the mouth, wondering how what occurred against Ja’Faar Johnson could happen in the regular season.

“I definitely see the improvement in Johntay Cook,” Sarkisian said Monday. “When you go into a new system and scheme it’s about doing things the way that organization wants it done. And what I’ve loved about Johntay right now is how coachable he is.” 

Last year, no Texas receiver recorded a catch over 50 yards. Since Sarkisian took over for Tom Herman, the Longhorns have connected on one 70-yard pass —a 75-yard score from Worthy against Oklahoma in 2021.

"He's improving every day, he's running routes full speed, coach (Chris) Jackson's getting on him about his technique and fundamentals," Worthy said of his clone. "I feel like he's going to have a big year coming up."

Cook's concerns with playing time aren't based on his skills, but rather his competition. Worthy and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders are all-conference players, so they'll seldomly leave the field. The same goes for Whittington, who's hopeful of remaining healthy for a complete 13-game season in the slot. 

The third receiver spot remains up for grabs. Wyoming transfer Isaiah Neyor could have cemented his status if not for a knee injury that sidelined him all last season. 

Georgia pass-catcher Adoni Mitchell joined the group after winning back-to-back titles in Athens. He's has caught the fire and fastballs zipped from Quinn Ewers throughout camp. 

And sophomore Casey Cain continues to carve out reps after impressing the staff with a 108-yard performance in the Alamo Bowl.

Sarkisian admitted that all freshmen he's worked with are different. He's not wrong, either. While head coach at USC, JuJu Smith-Schuster caught 54 balls and finished with 5 TDs. Two years ago, Worthy broke nearly every Texas freshman receiving record, including receptions (62), touchdowns (12), and single-game yardage (261).

Of course, not everyone is a Pro Bowl receiver or potential first-round pick like Smith-Schuster and Worthy. 

"I've seen guys that maybe take a year or two or maybe later into their freshman year to when they really start to get it," said Sarkisian. "That doesn't mean they won't be great players. Sometimes guys just pick it up a little bit easier, sometimes the speed of the game makes sense to them, sometimes it takes a little longer."

Cook will continue to make plays in practice, which hopefully leads to more playing time. He's already won over most of the locker room, including several defensive starters. 

Senior linebacker David Gbenda said he expects Cook to be this year's breakout freshman on offense. 

Defensive lineman Byron Murphy, a teammate of Cook's at DeSoto, praised his improvements since spring ball ended. 

"He’s gonna be a great player," said Murphy last week. "I see him playing this year.”

Sarkisian said that Cook schematically looks comfortable in the offense. He also called him "coachable" while being impressed with his ability to correct mistakes on the fly. 

“When you’re playing fast and you have an idea of knowing what to do and you’re coachable and you’re not making the same mistakes twice, you give yourself an opportunity to be successful in this system, and that’s what showing up," said Sarkisian. 

Cook's play is reminiscent of Worthy based on his teammates. Worthy wasn't expected to be a household name Year 1, but eventually became the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year. 

Maybe that's Cook's projection in 2023? Since he started looking like an 18-year veteran instead of an 18-year-old, words like "if" have switched to "when" in discussing his playing time. 

He's become a natural in the passing game. Naturally, that warrents an uptick in reps, which actually presents a good problem for the Forty Acres' offense.  

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