The 5-star wide receiver announced he would be transferring to Washington, sharing the news on social media with a post saying, “Fun fact, I can stand the rain.” However, less than three weeks after committing, he has decided to leave the program. A source confirmed to The Seattle Times that he is no longer part of the Washington football team. He had enrolled and was on campus for the start of the winter quarter on January 6.
The 6-foot, 186-pound wide receiver spent his first two years at Texas, but left the Longhorns mid-way through the 2024 season. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian described his departure as a mutual decision. Over 20 games at Texas, Cook recorded 16 catches for 273 yards and two touchdowns. He played in six games as a sophomore before leaving.
A standout at DeSoto High in Texas, Johntay Cook had an impressive high school career with 166 receptions for 3,026 yards and 50 touchdowns. His performance earned him recognition as one of the nation’s top recruits, ranking as the No. 6 player in Texas, No. 4 receiver nationally, and No. 31 overall. Cook ultimately chose Texas from a final list that included Michigan, Ole Miss, and Oregon, among other schools.
After leaving Texas, Cook entered the transfer portal and visited Florida before committing to Washington. His arrival was timely for the Huskies, as key receivers Giles Jackson and Jeremiah Hunter exhausted their eligibility in 2024, leaving Denzel Boston as the only returning player with starting experience. At Washington, Cook could have competed for playing time in the slot or possibly earned a role in place of Hunter. However, despite his departure, Washington is in a strong position with five incoming freshman wide receivers—Deji Ajose, Marcus Harris, Chris Lawson, Dezmen Roebuck, and Raiden Vines-Bright—who joined the team for the winter quarter. Harris, Lawson, and Vines-Bright are all composite four-star recruits. Washington also has sophomore Audric Harris and redshirt freshman Justice Williams, both of whom bring potential to the receiver corps.