Texas wide receiver Johntay Cook enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook enters the NCAA Transfer Portal. This comes after it was reported that he left the program in early November.

Cook initially came to Texas as a five-star recruit in the Class of 2023, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the 31st-ranked player overall and the third-ranked wide receiver overall in that recruiting cycle. He played his high school football at DeSoto in the state of Texas.

Unsurprisingly, coming out of high school Cook was one of the most heavily recruited players in his class. Along with the Longhorns, Texas A&M, Oregon, Alabama, and Michigan were all teams involved in his recruitment.

For the 2024 season, Johntay Cook has eight receptions for 137 yards, which is 17.1 yards per reception, and two touchdowns. Both of those touchdown catches came during Texas’ win over UTSA. He also has had a reception since the Mississippi State game in September. That’s after he had eight receptions for 136 yards, or 17 yards per reception, during his freshman season.

This comes in a season that has seen the Texas Longhorns consistently ranked as one of the top teams in the entire country. That included in the initial College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings for the first-ever 12-team Playoff. In those rankings, the Longhorns are ranked fifth in the country. They’re also one of five SEC teams who only had one conference loss when those initial rankings came out, meaning they have been a part of the race for the SEC Championship as well as the Playoff.

Johntay Cook initially came to Texas alongside Arch Manning, one of the most highly-touted quarterback prospects in recent memory. The hope had been that the two would become an excellent tandem. However, with the news that Cook is on the move, it appears that will no longer be the case.

More information on the NCAA Transfer Portal

The Transfer Portal has become a major challenge for coaches to manage both in the offseason and during the regular season. While it does allow for a way for coaches to patch holes in their roster or flip a roster for one they hope is more talented, it’s a double-edged sword and several players have taken advantage of redshirt rules and the portal to save a season of eligibility and find a new team.

Officially, there are two windows for the Transfer Portal in college football. One is in the winter, following the season, and the other comes following Spring practice. In October, the NCAA Division I Council voted to move the window from 45 to 30 days following the season. That means it will open on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, and close on Dec. 28. The Spring window will remain open for 10 days between April 16, 2025, and shutting down on April 25, 2025.

Last season, Texas had the sixth-ranked Transfer Portal class, per the On3 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. It was a class that saw 11 players join the Longhorns program and 25 transfers left.