Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse football wide receiver Johntay Cook II will enter the transfer window after the two sides failed to agree on terms of a new contract, his father said Thursday.
Cook’s father called Syracuse’s offer one that suits first-year players. That’s according to what his son’s representatives told him.
The contract dispute was not resolved after several offseason meetings with head coach Fran Brown and a phone call Thursday from offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon, who expressed his desire for Cook to return to the team, Cook’s father said.
Brown, he said, wanted to see more production from Cook, a former five-star recruit who played one season at Syracuse after transferring last year.
“We appreciate Fran and Syracuse,” Cook Sr. said. “There are no hard feelings.
Cook finished the 2025 season with 549 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Cook, who has one year of eligibility remaining, quickly became a trusted target for quarterback Steve Angeli through the first four games of the 2025 season despite playing with an ankle injury.
As with many of Syracuse’s receivers, Cook’s production dipped when Angeli tore his Achilles tendon in September.
Cook joined Syracuse last spring after a two-year stint at Texas. He chose Syracuse as a place to rebuild his image and grow as a person under Brown.
He left Texas after two unproductive seasons in which he struggled to earn playing time. He briefly enrolled in Washington for less than a week before being arrested twice for minor offenses in his home state of Texas last February.
Cook’s name was later linked to one of the strangest moments of Syracuse’s season. After the Oct. 4 loss at Southern Methodist, Cook’s uncle called in to rant on ESPN Radio Syracuse and attack outfielder Rickie Collins.
Cook then downplayed the incident, saying he had nothing to do with it and didn’t have to spend much time explaining to his teammates.
Cook is the second starting receiver to commit to a new school in 2026, along with Darrell Gill Jr. Syracuse running back Yasin Willis will also seek to transfer.
The expected departures force Syracuse to rebuild much of its offense around Angeli as he continues to rehabilitate his injury.
Without Gill or Cook in the fold, Syracuse’s leading returning receiver would be Darien Williams, a Christian Brothers Academy freshman who caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown last season.
Cook, a former top 50 recruit out of DeSoto High School in Texas, becomes the 26th Syracuse player to enter his name into the portal.
Eligible players can access the transfer portal from Friday until January 16.
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