Longhorns Country

Texas Longhorns Transfer WR Johntay Cook Predicted to Stay in SEC

Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook might be seeing his old team again sooner than expected.

Matt Galatzan

Sep 28, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook II (1) runs the ball in the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
Sep 28, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook II (1) runs the ball in the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
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Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook unexpectedly left the team earlier this fall, following, leaving the program without one of its most talented pass catchers on the roster.

Cook would eventually elect to transfer, becoming arguably the biggest Longhorns name to elect to leave Austin when the portal officially opened on Dec. 9.

Now, it appears that he is trending toward a new home, and he could be staying in the SEC.

According to reports from On3's Pete Nakos, Cook is projected to land with the Florida Gators after a handful of visits.

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook II (1) reaches out his hands to catch a pass
Sep 28, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook II (1) reaches out his hands to catch a pass as the Texas Longhorns take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mikala Compton/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Mikala Compton/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

"Coming off trips to Florida and Washington, the momentum sits with the Gators as Johntay Cook was able to spend one-on-one time with true freshman star DJ Lagway," Nakos said. "I’ve logged a prediction for Cook to land in Gainesville."

Cook II, a five-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, had just eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns this season. He had three catches for 35 yards and two scores in the win over UTSA on Sept. 14.

Cook ranked as the No. 31 player in the nation, No. 3 wide receiver and No. 5 player in the state of Texas for his class. As a transfer, he ranks as the No. 43 player available in the portal and the No. 14 wide receiver.

There was an expectation entering the 2024 season that Cook II would see an increased role after minimal usage as a freshman but has instead become buried on a depth chart that features Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, DeAndre Moore Jr., Silas Bolden, and true freshman standout Ryan Wingo.

During the high school recruiting process, Cook II narrowed down his five finalists to Michigan, Texas, Florida, Jackson State, and Texas A&M in May 2022 but eventually took official visits to both Oregon and Ole Miss later that summer. Now, it appears the Gators are back in the picture once again.

Cook ends his Longhorns career with just 16 catches for 273 yards and two touchdowns across two seasons.

Texas and Florida are set to face off in Gainseville on Oct. 4 of next season.

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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.

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