Texas Football: 3 ‘most improved’ true freshmen so far this offseason

Johntay Cook II, WR

A true freshman early enrollee that a lot of Texas fans expected to make a big splash in the program right away is the former elite five-star recruit out of DeSoto High School, wide receiver Johntay Cook II. The 6-foot and 185-pound receiver out of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex looked the part as a real playmaker that could get some key live-game reps as a true freshman when he made his debut in spring practice a few months ago.

Cook was soaking up the experience during spring ball like a sponge, getting to learn behind standouts in the receiver room such as junior Xavier Worthy, junior AD Mitchell, and redshirt senior Jordan Whittington.

The experience to learn and develop during spring ball clearly translated to Cook being able to make some big plays during the Orange-White Game on April 15. Cook had that tremendous deep ball from redshirt freshman quarterback Maalik Murphy in the spring game that went for a 70+ yard touchdown.

And it sounds like Cook has continued to make the necessary strides in the film room and in the summer workout program to earn a spot on the two-deep heading into the fall. A team source reportedly said that Cook is “going to be the best pro receiver we have in the wide receiver room”.

That is obviously quite the statement to make regarding a true freshman wideout that is in such a loaded position group this year on the Forty Acres. It says a lot about where Cook is at already just six months after originally arriving on campus for the spring semester.