Longhorns former 5-star WR enters NCAA transfer portal

He was the 31st ranked player overall in his recruiting class

After leaving the Longhorns football program, Johntay Cook II has entered the NCAA Transfer portal. The former five-star recruit left the program in November and will now be looking for a new home. He was the 31st-ranked player overall in his recruiting class.

During his time as a Longhorn, Cook appeared in 20 games and hauled 16 catches. He recorded 273 receiving yards and found the end zone twice this season after not recording a receiving touchdown last year. Although Cook began his college career with high expectations, he struggled to separate himself in a Longhorns offense full of talent while battling injuries.

Before committing to the Longhorns, Cook drew interest from some of the top programs in the nation. That list includes Texas A&M, Oregon, Michigan, and Alabama. For teams in need of playmakers, Cook should be a popular target due to his pedigree coming out of high school.

While Cook’s career at Texas didn’t go as planned, he did show some encouraging signs this year. He averaged 22.8 yards per game after only averaging 9.7 last season. The De Soto High School product was also targeted more in the red zone.

When Cook initially came to Texas, he came alongside Arch Manning. The hope was that two would give the Longhorns a lethal tandem that could frustrate defensive coordinators. That will not be the case, as a change of scenery is now what is best. Texas A&M and Oregon are two teams to watch.