Syracuse football: Orange picked to land commitment from transfer WR Johntay Cook

Fran Brown’s first big risk?

The Syracuse Orange football team is expected to a big-play threat in former Texas/Washington wide receiver Johntay Cook, but if the prediction is true, it could raise some questions.

Cook played two seasons at Texas catching 16 passes for 273 yards and two scores before transferring to Washington in the spring. He only spent two days with the Huskies before leaving and that was the least of the concerns from Cook’s 2025. Since leaving Washington, Cook’s been arrested twice: first for misdemeanor theft and then marijuana possession.

Those might be considered minor indiscretions, and they are especially minor for a former 5-star top-40 recruit with a 4.3 40. However, anytime a Head Coach offers a fresh start to a player with a some negatives in their past, it will get looked at under a microscope. We know that Syracuse has stood behind athletes with more serious issues in the past, that’s the nature of big-time college athletics.

When you deliver on promises as Fran Brown has in his first year at Syracuse, you earn the benefit of the doubt to vouch for a player in Cook’s situation. If he ends up with the Orange and is successful on and off the field, it’s another win for Brown. If not, then it might impact the next time Brown wants to give another player a 2nd chance.

For a program like Syracuse, these are some of the calculated risks you need to take. If you believe in your culture and the athlete’s commitment you can trust that you have the support to earn the reward.