Sources: Jordan Whittington to return for his senior year
After successfully putting together his first full season in Austin, Longhorn wide receiver Jordan Whittington wanted to do it in back-to-back years. Whittington will return to Texas for his senior season, multiple sources tell Inside Texas. ESPN was the first to report.
[Get Inside Texas Plus until the start of the 2023 season for $29.99!]
Inside Texas had reported in previous weeks that Whittington was no lock to enter the NFL draft.
Whittington, a 6-foot-1 junior out of Cuero (Texas), has his best and healthiest season as a Longhorn in 2022. He played in all 13 games and had 50 catches for 652 yards and one touchdown. Whittington was listed as a starter in 12 out of the 13 Longhorn regular season contests, with the game at Texas Tech the lone exception. Texas started in Lubbock in a 30 personnel set with all three of Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, and Keilan Robinson on the field.
Whittington was a reliable target for both Quinn Ewers and Hudson Card throughout the season. He caught a pass in every game and added his lone touchdown of the year versus Iowa State. His best performance of the season came versus Oklahoma when he caught five passes for 97 yards.
He went over 60 receiving yards three times and was second on the team in receiving yardage behind Xavier Worthy. He was third in catches behind Worthy and tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders.
Whittington’s prior seasons in burnt orange had been hampered by injury. His 2019 and 2020 seasons were both cut short due to complications stemming from a high school injury. In 2021, he missed several games due to a broken collarbone. He was on the field for all 12 games in 2022 and not only made an impact with the ball in his hands, but also blocking for teammates.
He began his career at Texas as a running back due to injury issues at the position in 2019. He had two receptions for 17 yards in the early stages of the year but could not overcome a hernia problem. That problem persisted until the late stages of 2020. When on the field in 2021, he was a difference-maker and the most consistent target for former Longhorn quarterbacks Casey Thompson and Hudson Card. His 2022 was the best look he’s offered at his tremendous athletic capabilities, and the thought was that might be his final showcase at Texas.
Now, Whittington, who long fancied himself a three-year-and-out player and who was honored at senior day versus Baylor, will return to Texas for his fifth season as a Longhorn.
Originally a member of Texas’ 2019 class, Whittington was ranked as the No. 38 overall prospect, the No. 8 wide receiver, and the No. 6 prospect in the state of Texas according to the 2019 On3 Consensus.
