Longhorn's No. 1 Receiver? Texas' Jordan Whittington Seems Ready For the Challenge

It has become a different scene in the world of college football since the transfer portal took immediate relevancy back in 2018, allowing players to transfer quickly without having to sit out for a season.

Players either lose position battles are unhappy with playing time, or just desire a new place to play. Highly recruited out of high school, these talented young stars want the best for themselves, and rightfully so.

This has been the case for hundreds of players over the past few years. But not Jordan Whittington.

Coming out of Cuero, Texas as a five-star recruit, Whittington was one of the top athletes in the 2019 class. He was expected to provide immediate depth to the Longhorns when he committed to Tom Herman in March of 2018 -- as a running back.

It sure seems like ages ago, but Whittington was once projected to be next-in-line for a major role as a Texas ball carrier.

His freshman year in the 2018-2019 season was set to be a key time for development, but Whittington only played in the season-opening game before being forced to redshirt after re-aggravating a groin injury that had been a problem since high school.

Whittington played running back at Cuero High School but was highly recruited due to his overall versatility as an athlete. The writing seemed to be on the wall, so he switched to wide receiver after his freshman season with the Longhorns.

Texas fans got to see the flashes that they had been waiting for during Whittington's redshirt freshman year last season, though it was in limited action. He only played in five games due to another injury, accumulating 21 catches for 206 yards and three carries for 50 yards and a touchdown.

With the departure of Herman in January and the arrival of Steve Sarkisian, the former five-star recruit could have transferred with ease. Instead, Whittington has stayed the course for his breakout moment, and it looks like his patience came full circle during Saturday's 38-18 win over Louisiana.

“You know Jordan, I’ve been singing his praises since I got here," Sarkisian said on Monday. "I think he’s been really bought in. Like everybody, he was a clean slate. I didn’t get hung up on the past injuries with him and the things that have happened in his career. I just kind of let it play out, and made sure that we were doing the necessary things from getting him ready to play physically and also from a recovery standpoint.”

In his first game under Sark, Whittington dominated the passing game. He was a monster at moving the chains and didn't skip a beat when his head coach made the switch at QB from Hudson Card to Casey Thompson in the third quarter.

“He’s a heady player," Sarkisian said. "He probably picked up our offense as quickly as anybody. Probably the quickest of the wide receiver room. It gives him a lot of flexibility because he can play multiple spots and be comfortable doing it, and I think he’s got a really high football IQ. I think that’s why it pays off for him on third down, it pays off for him in the red area, and recognitions of coverages, and situations that come up.”

Want to see just how clutch Whittington's hands were on Saturday? Here's a chronological look at each of his seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.

-15-yard catch on third and 12 for a first down

-13-yard catch on second and 13 for a first down

-11-yard catch-and-run on third and nine for a first down that set up Texas for another TD before the half

-41-yard catch-and-run on third and 11 that set up Texas for another TD two plays later

-16-yard grab on third and nine

-14-yard receiving touchdown off of a screenplay

-Three-yard catch

See the pattern here? Six of Whittington's seven catches went for 10 or more yards, and four out of the seven grabs helped Texas move the chains on long down-and-distance during drives that eventually led to scores.

It's only one game, but this is the kind of production you see from a bonafide number-one receiver guy. Going into this season, it was anyone's guess who that would be for the Longhorns.

Sure, Joshua Moore is the most experienced pass-catcher of the group, but he only had three catches for 17 yards against Louisiana. Xavier Worthy is talented but is still a true freshman. Troy Omerie missed Saturday's game with a knee injury.

So, why not Whittington?

Lining up for most routes from the slot, he provides the kind of versatility that this Texas team needs.

He can out-class a mismatched linebacker to get open...

Jordan Whittington taking ankles on this jerk route. 👀 pic.twitter.com/WZYPxZZdJQ
— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) September 4, 2021

Or use his skills as a former running back to power his way for more yardage, like he did on this 41-yard catch-and-run...

Jordan Whittington is one tough dude to tackle on @TexasFootball 😤 pic.twitter.com/Op0w6wmr0W
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 4, 2021

There's still a full season ahead, but who's to say Whittington can't keep up this production throughout the season? Texas fans have always known the talent was there, but now the proof is crystal clear.

The season is sure to have twists and turns, as the other receivers will likely have their own dominant showing in due time. However, Whittington's performance on Saturday was ideal for a season-opener. The chemistry between him and Card will only grow from here.

The Longhorns now have their sites set on the first road game of the season, as the team will visit the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturday night. The flow of the game might determine which Texas receiver sees the most targets, with Whittington looking to build off of his career day.

Texas will face a Razorback team that gave up the sixth-most passing yards per game in the SEC last season (259.6). Saturday's kick-off is at 6 p.m. C.T, as the Longhorns aim for 2-0.

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