2 weeks Ago
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook will visit Arkansas Thursday, according to a report. Cook committed to Washington during the winter transfer window but the commitment was short lived as both parties decided to part ways just weeks later.
When the portal reopened April 16, he entered his name once again and visited Syracuse earlier this week. Cook is one of the top available transfers available in the portal this spring The 6-foot, 185 pound receiver spent two years at Texas and in six games during the Longhorns' run to the College Football Playoff semifinals. As a sophomore, Cook caught eight passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns while recording 136 yards as a true freshman.
While he was a top-40 recruit out of DeSoto High School in Texas, Cook amassed 165 receptions for 2,965 yards and 50 touchdowns. His recruitment went national but opted to stay close to home, ultimately choosing the Longhorns over the likes of Alabama, USC, Florida State, Texas A&M, Michigan, Ole Miss, Auburn, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Oregon, Baylor, Arizona State, Ohio State, Nebraska, Notre Dame and more. Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman mentioned recently that he could target an extra receiver this offseason if an opportunity arose.
Arkansas received news Wednesday afternoon that converted wide receiver Shamar Easter entered the portal after seeing limited snaps during his two seasons with the program. "The plan is not to, but I’m not saying that," Pittman said April 15. "We may, depends on who goes out.
If we have a scholarship at wide receiver or something like that, would we take one? Absolutely. "But right now, we’re at 85 scholarships and so you have to certainly before you can replace a scholarship somebodies got to go in the portal." Arkansas has plenty of receivers to work with after bringing four transfers in during the offseason in order to replace much of the production from 2024.
Quarterback Taylen Green lost each of his top eight options in the pass game which forced Arkansas coaches to rebuild a unit depleted from graduation and transfer portal opportunities elsewhere. Current 2025 Razorbacks WR Chart O'Mega Blake, Redshirt Senior Raylen Sharpe, Redshirt Senior Kam Shanks, Redshirt Sophomore Ismael Cisse, Redshirt Sophomore Monte Harrison, Sophomore C.J.
Brown, Sophomore Krosse Johnson, Redshirt Freshman Zach Taylor, Redshirt Freshman Courtney Crutchfield, Redshirt Freshman Ja'Kayden Ferguson, Freshman Antonio Jordan, Freshman Jace Brown, Freshman Arkansas will have plenty to sell Cook on during his upcoming visit as offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino drastically improved the offense in his first season. With a huge void at receiver, he could have an opportunity to star in an offense tailormade for receivers to excel in. The Razorbacks will have second-year transfer quarterback Taylen Green back who led the offense to a No.
3 finish nationally with 246 plays of 10+ yards while coming in at No. 10 in total offense at 456 yards per game. Arkansas became two-dimensional one season after its rushing attack struggled to surpass 150 yards per game in 2023.
Petrino's stable of backs provided the unit plenty of speed and physicality to rush for 2,402 yards and 34 touchdowns (No. 11 FBS). An effort has been put in place to make the Razorbacks a tad more explosive with several smaller, shiftier receivers.
In an effort to spread the wealth, 21 different players caught a pass last season with seven of them pulling in 13 or more. With No. 1 option Andrew Armstrong out of eligibility and pursuing the NFL Draft, Cook will have a chance to compete for starter reps.
Armstrong, a Texas native himself, caught an SEC-high 78 passes for 1,140 yards and one touchdown in 2024. HOGS FEED:.
