Five years, 1,872 total yards, and six career touchdowns later, wide receiver Jordan Whittington had cemented himself as one of the beloved players of the Texas Longhorns.
Now, after being selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Whittington has started to do the same thing at the next level.
Flying toward his third season in the league, Whittington has already made a name for himself while suiting up for the Los Angeles Rams over the last two years. With 464 receiving yards and 887 kick-return yards, Whittington has become a consistent player on LA's game-day lineup.
Recently, though, Whittington left the bright lights of Hollywood to return to the 40 Acres, going back to his roots for some offseason work.
"We established a really good culture in Texas, so being able to go back and see that being established in the younger guys and knowing that that's what gets you to this point, it kind of reminds you that that's what got me here," Whittington said in a recent interview.
Committing to the Texas prepared Jordan Whittington for the NFL
Coming out of high school, Whittington was a four-star prospect known for his physical presence on the field. A Texas native, it came as no surprise when he committed to the Longhorns. During his collegiate career, he became the type of player who could succeed in the NFL.
He hasn't forgotten everything that the Longhorns and head coach Steve Sarkisian did for him.
"I've always been a tough person, but I think when I did get to Texas, the mentality changed," Whittington said. "There's a lot of guys I went to school with that we established that same mentality, same culture, and I feel like, honestly, that is just in my DNA now."
No, Whittington isn't a record-setting star like some wideouts. Not yet, at least. However, Rams head coach Sean McVay had nothing but praise for the Longhorn Legend.
"Jordan Whittington, steady, consistent, a guy that can really do a lot of different things for us," McVay said. "I think the game honors toughness, and he's one of those guys that the game honors because of the way that he plays. He's incredibly selfless; he makes the plays when he gets his opportunities, but he also gets just as excited springing a block for one of our running backs. He's a great teammate. Love everything Jordan Whittington is about."
Of course, he's playing alongside star receivers like Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, whom he has been able to learn even more from over the last three years.
"I try to be as much of a sponge as I can be, and just soak all that in and try to learn everything I can," Whittington said. "We kind of establish the culture in the room, and we're super tight off the field... So when you have that as your base, as your foundation, it makes it easier to listen to somebody, play harder for somebody, and just really trust somebody."
With the foundation laid by the Texas Longhorns and the support that he has had throughout his career, Whittington has the makings of a rising star in the NFL. Now, it's time for him to prove that he can put that toughness to good use.
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