Former Texas receiver Johntay Cook’s stay in Washington is over before the first practice.

Once a five-star recruit from DeSoto, Cook and the Huskies have already “parted ways” according to reports less than a month after he joined the program.

It's unclear why Cook has left the program. Still, it’s a troubling sign for the receiver who many thought would become a star with the Longhorns. When that didn’t work out, Cook was supposed to be a key piece of the Huskies’ 2025 season.

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WR Johntay Cook II reportedly parts ways with Texas football after being held out last two games

Texas sophomore had eight catches on 10 targets in the first six games this season

Cook had eight catches on 10 targets in the first six games for the Horns in 2024. He was held out of the Georgia and Vanderbilt games, and then coach Steve Sarkisian said Cook was no longer part of the program.

“We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors,” Sarkisian said on Nov. 7.

Sarkisian had a problem with too many receivers as it was. Roster attrition was natural.

“I think in this day and age of college football, some of that is natural,” Sarkisian said. “We try to really pride ourselves on being a heck of a developmental program. And I think that we have some living examples on our roster today of guys that maybe weren’t frontline starters in year one or year two and then developed into really productive players in year three or even in year four.

“So I try not to fall prey to that, that that’s just what's going to happen, but I understand it when it does happen, if that makes sense.”

Cook played in all 14 games as a freshman and caught eight passes for 136 yards. He was considered the sixth-best receiver in the nation in the 2023 recruiting cycle.