Jordan Whittington says he got 'mixed answers' on NFL feedback
Jordan Whittington thought about taking his talents to the NFL, but the Texas wide receiver decided to come back to the Longhorns for 2023.
According to Whittington, it was a tough decision, but after “mixed answers” from the league and another season to prove his game, the pass catcher decided to give Steve Sarkisian’s program another go-round. Speaking with the media as spring practices rage on, Whittington elaborated on what he heard from NFL teams, and how he came to his decision.
“I got a lot of mixed answers,” began Whittington. “A lot of things, a lot of different directions that people were leading me on to, and I just ultimately had to sit down and ask myself if I was my son, what would I do? And that’s how I ultimately came up with the answer.
“But you know, a lot of people were saying leave, you made it through a whole year healthy, and all that stuff, but that wasn’t really something that I took too much into consideration. Because I don’t really think about injuries like that.”
Whittington would’ve certainly got some looks, as he caught 50 passes for 652 receiving yards and a touchdown, as quarterbacks Quinn Ewers and Hudson Card slung the football around the field. Still, as Ewers progresses and gets more comfortable at the collegiate level, Whittington’s statistics should rise as well, and his draft stock could too.
Additionally, capturing a Big 12 title also weighed on Whittington’s mind when making his decision, as it’s something that could etch his name, and his teammate’s names, in history for the Longhorns.
“One, coming back to get that Big 12 championship and just improve myself, honestly, and try to improve this team as much as I can and try to make as much of a big impact I can before I’m gone,” Whittington added.
While the Longhorns receiving corps are crowded — AD Mitchell, Casey Cain and Isaiah Neyor are just some of the names who could steal away targets — Whittington believes it could open up more room for him to play the slot.
“I think that I’ll definitely have the opportunity to focus more on playing in the slot with those guys,” Whittington stated. “I just go wherever they tell me to go right now.
“With those guys, it’s a real competitive room. We’re all going against each other but at the same time we’re making each other better.”
Iron sharpens iron, and Jordan Whittington will certainly leave Austin with sharper skills when his time comes. The NFL will be watching, as the Texas wide receiver’s future is bright moving forward.