There is still just over a month until the transfer portal opens in the world of college football, but we are already seeing some players position themselves as top targets once they become officially available.

One of those players appears to be former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook, a true sophomore who was ranked as the No. 3 WR in the 2023 class and is a 5-star talent. On Thursday, it was reported and confirmed that Cook and the Longhorns had “mutually parted ways” and that Cook would seek to join a new team in the portal in the future.

Duck fans who follow recruiting closely will likely remember Cook from his high school days. A 5-star prospect, he took one of his official visits to Eugene before committing to the Longhorns.

Does this mean the Ducks will pursue him in the portal this offseason? It wouldn’t be a surprise at all.

According to a report from Rivals’ Adam Gorney, Oregon is one of three teams that have already contacted Cook, along with the Georgia Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels.

We also saw 4-star Oregon RB Tradarian Ball reaching out to Cook on social media about recruiting the WR for Eugene.

As a true freshman last year, Cook played in 14 games, completing eight passes for 136 yards and no touchdowns. Earlier this season, Cook caught eight passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns in the first five games, but has not appeared in a game since late September.

If you want to read deep into the tea leaves, a tweet from Cook earlier this week featuring a pair of thumbs-down signs could also be related to the Ducks’ recent trend of thumbs-down signs associated with their victory celebration is associated with the Michigan Wolverines and there is a connection to the movie “Gladiator”.

Did Cook like what he saw?

We’ll see how Oregon’s transfer portal boar develops in December, but don’t be surprised at all if this former 5-star prospect shows up for a visit in Eugene and potentially ends up as a Duck in the future.

The story originally appeared on Ducks Wire