One of the major questions surrounding this offseason and new coaching staff has been whether or not Jordan Whittington will play wide receiver or running back.
Whittington was a promising five-star recruit that many expected to make an immediate impact for Texas as a true freshman. As a prototypical swiss army knife-like player, Whittington led Cuero High School to a State Championship where he accounted for six touchdowns, 334 rushing yards, and 11 tackles.
Whether he lined up as quarterback, wide receiver, running back, or safety, he was unstoppable. Whittington received MVP honors on both sides of the ball shortly after winning the state title.
Listed by 247Sports Composite as the No. 2 versatile athlete in the nation, Whittington was expected to play wide receiver as a Longhorn. Due to lack of depth and injuries at the running back position, Whittington eagerly took the opportunity to switch to running back to help the team succeed by any means necessary.
Although Whittington quickly climbed the depth chart at his new position, an unfortunate sports hernia surgery left him sidelined for the majority of the Longhorns 2019 season. With Whittington rehabbing, Texas had to rely on backup quarterback Roschon Johnson to make a similar last-minute position swap. Johnson pleasantly surprised as a natural runner, oftentimes appearing as the best back on the roster.
When you pair Johnson with starting running back Keontay Ingram and incoming five-star, No. 1 running back in the nation Bijan Robinson, the running back room becomes crowded.
Fortunately, Whittington continues to be a do-it-all athlete.
After many rumors began circulating about the potential position change, Whittington has now officially changed his Twitter biography to signify himself as a wide receiver at the University of Texas. The decision appears to be a positive one, as Whittington will likely garner more playing time as a receiver.
Although he will compete alongside fellow receivers Jake Smith, Brennan Eagles, and Joshua Moore, it’s clear Texas will have a variety of ways to use his talents. With a full offseason under his belt as a healthy receiver, Whittington could realistically become a breakout player for the Longhorns in 2020.