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Former Texas wide receiver Johntay Cook II is moving to the Big Ten for his next destination, committing to Washington on Saturday. It’s a massive pickup for Jedd Fisch and the Huskies with an eye toward a Year 2 breakthrough in Seattle.
Coming out of high school, Cook was a 5-star WR per the 247 Sports Composite and one of the best overall players from the state of Texas. He was also a standout contributor in track-and-field for DeSoto High School.
Cook reacted to a post announcing his commitment on social media by acknowledging he can “stand the rain” in the Pacific Northwest.
Cook was a top-50 player nationally for the 2023 recruiting class and one of the top overall receivers in the cycle. He was an immediate contributor for the Longhorns while appearing in all 14 games for the team that would ultimately lose in the CFP semifinals to none other than Washington.
Cook’s sophomore campaign started with a bang as he recorded 3 catches for 56 yards in the opener vs. Colorado State. He also had 3 catches for 35 yards and 2 touchdowns in a win over UTSA but recorded just 2 more catches the rest of the season and did not appear in a game after the Oklahoma win.
The former Texas product finished his time with the Longhorns with 16 catches for 273 yards and 2 touchdowns. While he never quite lived up to the elite 5-star hype, Cook has a chance to revive his career with the Huskies as Washington looks to build the 2025 offense around quarterback Demond Williams Jr.
A dual-threat, Williams, appeared in all 12 games for Washington this season behind Will Rogers. He finished with a 76.7% completion percentage (73 attempts) and 5 total touchdowns without an interception.
Cook is the 13th transfer piece for the Huskies, joining former USC tight end Kade Eldridge as offensive skill player additions.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
