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Inside a gymnasium in their hometown of DeSoto, Texas, Caimon Mathis comforted Johntay Cook during one of his best friend’s darkest moments.

It was February, and Cook didn’t belong to a college team at the time. He transferred to the University of Washington on Dec. 28, 2024, following his second year at the University of Texas, from which he exited on Nov. 7.

Two weeks later, Cook got dismissed from Washington for violating program rules. Then on Feb. 4 back in Texas, Cook was arrested on property theft charges. He was arrested again on Feb. 14 for marijuana possession.

What struck Caimon is Cook’s instantaneous decision to find sanctuary in the gym. Ever since this winter, Cook’s flipped a switch, he said. Caimon has never seen his former high school teammate in a zone this impenetrable — Cook lives, breathes and bleeds football.

Syracuse’s junior transfer receiver says it’s his mission to get selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. With two more years of college eligibility remaining, why the urgency now?

Cook wants to make up for lost time.

“I wouldn’t say it’s ‘time’s up,’” he said. “But to me, it’s time to go.”

Cook’s setbacks shaped him into the player he is today, a version of himself those close to him haven’t seen before. His teammates and coaches said he’s “locked in” to the point of obsession. A wizard in the film room and an athletic specimen on the gridiron, Cook — the former No. 6 overall player in Texas’ 2023 class, per 247Sports — elicits hype as one of the most talented receivers who’s entered Syracuse this century.

“Of course they want to showcase his ability, his talent,” Cook’s father, Johntay Cook Sr., said of his son joining SU. “And not only that, just showcasing the person that he is and trying to change the narrative that was put out from the first stop of his college career.”

With a renewed spirit since transferring to SU in May, Cook is ready to fulfill his dream of hearing his name called in the NFL Draft.

“He kept working so he could get one more opportunity,” Caimon said. “He has that opportunity now, and he’s not going to let it go. At the end of the day, his goal since we were young was, ‘I’m going to the NFL.’ It’s not even a dream. No, he’s going to make that happen.”

After being dismissed from the University of Washington due to a violation of team rules, Johntay Cook has found himself at home with the Orange. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor

• • •

The arrests don’t define who Cook is. He grew up in a disciplined household under Johntay Sr. and his mother, Tracie Cook. His values revolve around family, football and faith.

That doesn’t mean he’s immune to mistakes.

“I hated seeing it,” Caimon said. “We’re kids at the end of the day, we’re still young. People make mistakes. But you’ve got to think about this — he’s an influencer. His fanbase is huge. And so when one thing goes bad, you’ve got people texting you crazy stuff. It can mess with a kid, honestly.”

The adversity didn’t alter Cook’s psyche. He maintained the same goal: get to the NFL by any means necessary. His next step was to find a new school, one that’d provide him a chance to see the field after playing sparsely at Texas from 2023-24.

Cook and his family met with a litany of Division I teams in the spring. Only one head coach entered their recruitment meeting with an outlined, detailed plan of success for Cook’s future: Fran Brown.

“Coach Fran talked about a plan of success (for Johntay) before we even showed up,” Tracie said. “Collectively as a team, everyone was able to tell us what their plan was.”

Syracuse developed a routine for Cook , Brown said. SU’s staff told Cook he’d receive a personalized, written-out plan each week of the season, allowing him to focus on progressing toward specific academic and on-field goals.

Brown speaks with Cook daily, discussing all aspects of life and how he’s adjusting to life in Syracuse. Cook said he even talks to SU Director of Athletics John Wildhack for guidance.

“We’re constantly helping him develop as a man, not just as a football player,” Brown said of Cook. “When you have a detailed plan for how to dominate this week, and you’re able to do that, I think that helps young men be a little more on track.”

Brown’s authenticity stood out among other coaches the Cook family spoke to. His emphasis on developing Cook in all facets of life made Johntay Sr. and Tracie comfortable sending their son to central New York.

For Cook, he wants to be where he’s wanted. He felt Brown’s intense belief in him from the day the head coach called him this spring while he ate in a Whataburger, saying he wanted Cook to come play for him.

“It was just comparing him to other coaches that were recruiting me,” Cook said of choosing Brown over others. “I just really asked myself what type of coach I wanted to play for.”

More than anything, Brown provided Cook with a clean slate to show the world his best is yet to come. That’s why Cook is in Syracuse.

“I think Fran (Brown) gave him the opportunity to show what type of young man he is,” Johntay Sr., said of his son. “He never got the opportunity to show it at the other place. He just needs a chance.”

• • •

Johntay Sr. and Tracie raised their son in a football-crazed environment. DeSoto High School is one of Texas’ top programs. Cook started to learn the game as an 8-year-old, Johntay Sr. said, the typical age for children in Texas to begin playing football. Cook’s father said DeSoto is a breeding ground for future D-I stars. They seemingly sprout up everywhere in the area.

“The good thing is, Johntay was one of them,” Johntay Sr. said.

When Cook’s football journey commenced, he made a vision board to outline his future goals playing the sport. Tracie said he wrote a pretend college scholarship offer to himself and picked himself out an NFL team to sign with.

As a little kid, Cook’s manifestations created a lofty bar for himself. He’s since proven he was dead serious about the path he envisioned he’d take.

“What I’ve seen from him as his mother is that he believes he can do it,” Tracie said. “But he also understands that in this belief in himself, he has to put in the work and follow the steps to go where he’s trying to go.”

Cook’s work truly began at DeSoto High School under head coach Claude Mathis, Caimon’s father. When he first saw Cook practice with the freshmen, Claude said he thought his athletic ability was “through the roof.”

He knew forging Cook in a professional atmosphere like DeSoto would help his talents explode.

“Our coaching staff (at DeSoto) worked us like we work here (at Syracuse),” said SU freshman offensive lineman Byron Washington, who was teammates with Cook for two seasons on DeSoto. “In college, there’s more intensity, but as far as the speed of the game, it was there.”

Cook quickly gained confidence with the Eagles. Claude still vividly remembers when Cook first broke out in his sophomore year. On Nov. 6, 2020, on the road against rival Cedar Hill, DeSoto was stuck in a close contest when Cook boldly approached the coaching staff.

He told Claude to put him in the game and give him a deep skinny post route to run. Cook was sure he’d blow the top off the defense, saying he spotted a hole in Cedar Hill’s zone coverage through pregame film study. Claude obliged. The very next snap, Cook hauled in a long touchdown reception.

After the play and his diagnosis of the opposing defense, Claude said he questioned whether Cook was really a sophomore.

“That was the moment that told me right there that this kid is … man,” Claude said, struggling to find the words to encapsulate Cook. “He ain’t worried about the game being bigger than himself. He was made for this.”

Cook posted gaudy statistics across three seasons on DeSoto’s varsity squad; 3,026 receiving yards, 50 touchdowns, 166 receptions, 18.2 yards per catch. His downright absurd senior year — where he tallied 85 receptions, 1,530 yards and 22 touchdowns — led to his selection as the 2022 Dallas Morning News Offensive Player of the Year. Cook’s efforts helped propel DeSoto to a Texas state title that season.

There’s little Cook does wrong at wide receiver, Claude said. Cook can play X, slot and Z receiver, and his speed makes him a dangerous weapon as a ballcarrier. Claude, who became DeSoto’s coach in 2019, thinks Cook is the greatest route runner he’s seen come through his program.

So, it came at a surprise to both Cook and those around him that he didn’t garner much playing time with the Longhorns. Cook fell behind Matthew Golden, Isaiah Bond, Ryan Wingo and others in a loaded wide receiver room.

Cook totaled eight catches for 136 yards as a freshman, then increased that output by one yard in his sophomore year. Midway through his second season, head coach Steve Sarkisian announced Cook was no longer with Texas.

Cook still sees value in his experience at Texas, saying it operates similarly to an NFL team. But if you ask Washington, he thinks Cook’s time with Texas caused his mentality to shift. Cook is unrecognizable, Washington said, but in the best way possible.

“If I can be honest, that player and this player are two different guys,” Washington said of Cook in high school versus now. “Don’t get it wrong, Johntay works. But this one, I’ve never seen before. He’s on a mission.”

Johntay Cook hauled six grabs and led the Orange with 58 receiving yards in Syracuse’s season-opening loss to Tennessee. Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor

• • •

Brown said a false narrative got spread around about Cook’s character following his two arrests. When he showed up this season for fall training camp, Syracuse’s head coach was vindicated once he saw Cook picking up pieces of trash around SU’s football facility.

“I love who he is as a kid,” Brown said.

The act of kindness reflects Cook’s refreshed state of mind ever since he’s stepped foot in Syracuse. Not only is Cook’s expressive personality popular among his teammates, but he stands out as one of SU’s top playmakers in his first season with the Orange.

Throughout fall camp, Brown said Cook solidified his starting spot from the get-go.

“You can see why he was recruited so high and why he ranks so high,” Brown said of Cook. “He makes a lot of plays.”

Freshman receiver Jaylan Hornsby said Cook brought a veteran presence into a young Syracuse receivers’ room. He consistently goes out of his way to help others with their technique, taking charge as one of the top dogs.

“He’s been getting my footwork right,” Hornsby said of Cook. “He’s one of those guys that knows the game very well and has different attributes that some people don’t have, so he’s been a blessing to work with.”

Cook followed through on the hype his teammates and coaches gave him in his Syracuse debut on Aug. 30. Against then-No. 24 Tennessee in Atlanta, Cook caught six passes for 58 yards and hauled in a three-yard touchdown from quarterback Steve Angeli. Cook said it felt nice to fill a prominent role within an offense again.

“Sometimes, you have to struggle in order to get where you need to be,” Claude said.

In March, Cook bought a silver and gold-plated necklace that hangs a globe over the top of his chest. He wears it everywhere. For him, it’s more than a flashy piece of jewelry. The globe is a constant reminder that he controls his own destiny, no matter what obstacles life throws at him.

“It says, ‘The world is yours,’” Cook said of the necklace. “I got it to motivate myself (that) anything you really put your mind to, you can have, and all you have to do is go get it.”

Senior Staff Writer Aiden Stepansky contributed reporting to this story.

Published on September 3, 2025 at 10:22 pm
Contact Cooper at: ccandrew@syr.edu | @cooper_andrews