He's gone after only 48 hours on campus? That's what plenty of University of Washington football fans are thinking right now following Tuesday night's breaking news. In case you missed it, standout wide receiver Johntay Cook left the UW program.
It's being reported by multiple outlets that the Huskies and Cook decided to mutually part ways, though there's plenty of speculation that Jedd Fisch dismissed Cook from the program. Regardless, the former 5-star prospect will be back in the portal, ready to sign with a new team.
The Tennessee Vols are still looking for some wide receiver help. Naturally, you'd think Josh Heupel and his staff would give Cook a look, right? While Cook undoubtedly has a ton of talent, he didn't leave Texas on great terms and the fact that he didn't even last a week at Washington is pretty eye-opening.
A source confirms to @On3sports that Johntay Cook and Washington have parted ways. The Texas transfer was on campus for roughly 48 hours before the decision was made.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) January 15, 2025
Nothing is clear on the next step for Cook, but Huskies will dip into the portal to address WR position. https://t.co/n0vpLIoOx5
Former 5-star WR Johntay Cook is already on his way out of Washington
We don't want to get into any of the rumors surrounding why Cook is leaving Seattle after such a short stint with his new team, but it's got to be something Heupel will keep in mind before making any kind of decision on whether or not to show interest.
It's one thing for a player to leave a program multiple times in search of more playing time, but Cook's case is a bit different. He was one of the top-ranked wideouts for his class when he signed with UT, but things didn't go to plan and he didn't even finish two years with the squad - he was not on the field for the CFP run this campaign.
On his way out, he trashed Quinn Ewers on social media when reports arrived stating that Ewers was looking at a big-time NIL deal if he returned to college ball in 2025. You already know that didn't sit well with the locker room over in Austin.
What could have happened in only two days for Fisch and the Huskies to realize they made a big mistake in bringing in the speedster? Your guess is as good as ours, but if you ask us, Heupel and the Vols should stay away from Cook and focus on other options that are still available. Perhaps a call to Penn State wideout Harrison Wallace? That'd be the smarter move.