Elite 2023 WR Johntay Cook Has Longhorns In Top 5

The Longhorns are firmly in the running for one of the top pass catchers in 2023

Desoto's Johntay Cook is one of the most highly sought-after receiving prospects in the entire country. 

He is also exactly the type of playmaker the Longhorns need to add to their offense in the 2023 recruiting class.

And now, the Longhorns look to be in a prime position to land the talented Texan, after he released his top-5 finalists on Sunday. 

Alongside the Longhorns, Cook listed Texas A&M, Michigan, Florida, and Jackson State.

So what intrigues Cook about the Longhorns? Simple -- the head coach.

"Believe in Sark. All gas no brakes," Cook said of his visit to Texas this summer. "The play-calling is second to none. It’s unbelievable how Coach Sark draws up those plays and how he gets those dudes open."

And as one of the premier play-callers in all of college football, Cook has also been quite impressed with what Sarkisian has been able to do with the group of guys he has at his disposal.

Matt Galatzan - Sports Illustrated

A case in point is Texas freshman Xavier Worthy, who was one of the top wideouts in the Big 12 in his first season on campus.

Either way, after missing out on Evan Stewart in the early signing period, Cook will be a critical get for the Longhorns in the next cycle. They already have one wide receiver commitment for 2023 in Aldine Eisenhower (Houston, TX) product, Ryan Niblett.

Cook finished 2021 with 38 catches for 806 yards and 19 touchdowns, helping lead DeSoto on a deep playoff run.

Cook made multiple visits to Austin this spring alongside top running back recruit Rueben Owens, top quarterback target Arch Manning, and many others.

Perhaps even more interesting, however, is that Cook told LonghornsCountry.com that he and top 2023 Longhorns running back target Rueben Owens could very well be a package deal and that Manning isn't far behind.

“Don’t be surprised if me and Arch are at the same school whether that’s UT, Bama, LSU, Ole Miss," Cook told Matt Galatzan at the Dallas Battle 7v7 event. “ But I feel like it’s a higher chance that me and Reuben go to college together than me and Arch.”

As it happens, Cook and Owens are both in the running with largely the same schools as well. Most notably Texas, Texas A&M and Alabama.

Manning, meanwhile, has also taken multiple visits to the 40 Acres and already has a budding relationship with both Cook and Owens in his own right, dating back to their first time meeting last summer.

“I mean me and Reuben we really started building our friendship last year," Cook said. "Me and Arch also. We all were at UT together and they had the Elite camp and Arch threw me that bomb and after that, we were just with each other in the hotel all weekend and just expanded on that. “

But, despite that relationship, powers such as Alabama and Georgia are still in the mix for Manning, meaning anything is still possible for a trio that Longhorns fans hope could be their own version of the Aikman, Smith and Irvin Dallas Cowboys triplets.

As for a decision timeline, Cook is likely to ride out the process for a while and continue to look for the best fit for himself, telling Longhorns Country that he will likely not commit until the Early Signing Period next December.

“I’ll probably commit on Early Signing Day," Cook said.

Either way, there will be a long battle ahead over the next year for the three budding stars for Sarkisian and his staff.

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You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan

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