Four-star wide receiver Johntay Cook II scheduled to visit Ole Miss
OXFORD, Miss. — Like the old saying goes, “It ain’t over till it’s over,” and if anyone is writing the book on how to stay in the game on the recruiting trail, it’s Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.
To see coach Kiffin at work, look no farther than 4-star wide receiver Johntay Cook II’s scheduled upcoming visit to Oxford this weekend.
Change of plans, I’ll be in the sip June 3rd – 5th🔵🔴 #hoddytoddy @Lane_Kiffin @DerrickDnix @_kbolden
— johntay II (@_jayythegreat_) May 26, 2022
Cook had been scheduled to visit Florida June 3-5; however, Coach Kiffin helped facilitate the change in itinerary to get Cook to visit the ‘Sip.
The DeSoto High School (DeSoto, Texas) is the nation’s No. 8 wide receiver and the No. 7 junior in the state of Texas. Needless to say, Cook has offers from the ‘Who’s Who” of college football.
In addition to his top five and the Rebels, Cook holds offers from: Alabama, Arizona, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Boston College, Colorado, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, LSU, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburg, South Carolina, SMU, Tennessee, South Carolina, TCU, Texas Tech, Central Florida, Tulsa and USC.
There’s no other way to put it than to say Johntay Cook II is one of the most electric athletes in the class of 2023.
DeSoto 4⭐️ WR @_jayythegreat_ can get up there! @FootballDesoto @CoachSweeny @SkysTheLimitWR @WeDemBos pic.twitter.com/CGh2EtBpjf
— Juwan Davis (@MrJDavis96) May 22, 2022
The 6-foot-0, 170-pound wide receiver comes from one of the Lone Star state’s powerhouse schools and continues to be one of the most sought-after players in the class, hailing as the No. 41 overall athlete in the country, It’s easy to see why.
He dropped his Top 5 earlier this month, and while that list might not have included Ole Miss, it never stopped Coach Kiffin and staff from continuing to pursue the talented receiver
— johntay II (@_jayythegreat_) May 1, 2022
“He doesn’t go away,” Cook recently told On3 of Coach Kiffin.
“He can’t. No matter what I do or say, he won’t go away. I post something and Lane will ask, ‘What about my offense?’ That’s good recruiting…He still likes me and he’s still recruiting me, and anyone recruiting me this late, I like and I’m interested in.”
Johntay Cook II to On3, regarding Coach Kiffin’s recruitment of him
During his junior campaign, Cook put up some excellent numbers, tallying 38 catches for 806 yards, a 21.2 yards-per-catch average, to go along with his 19 touchdowns. He also made quite an impact on special teams, averaging roughly 15 yards every time the ball was in his hands.
When it comes to production on a football field, Johntay Cook II is definitely a game-changer.
The Quick Look:
Cook is a player you can’t help but watch, especially out here in Texas. When I first saw him play, I found him nothing short of electric. In fact, he quickly assumed a spot in what I, personally, call the ‘2023 Offensive Trifecta,’ that includes quarterback Arch Manning, running back Rueben Owens, and Cook at wide receiver — three of the nation’s best offensive players.
Here are just a few things I’ve noticed about Cook and why he would be a great fit in the ‘Sip.
- Extremely versatile playmaker
- Exceptional route runner
- His build and his skills cause an instant mismatch for defenders
- He is a closer. Whatever the play is, Cook is going to make it happen. He’s a big-play WR.
- He’s not too shy to tell it like it is, and that personality and vibe would clearly jive well with Coach Kiffin.
So could a flip to the ‘Sip be brewing? The fact that Cook has decided to make a detour to Oxford for a couple days is good start.
#ComeToTheSip https://t.co/vH6AhyhzAA
— johntay II (@_jayythegreat_) May 26, 2022
Oregon is also expected to host Cook for an official visit in June, and Texas and Texas A&M are both in line for official visits. Many think the Longhorns are in the lead, but the upcoming official visits will be critical.
“I’m trying to be really precise about where I go on official visits because I don’t wanna waste them,” Cook told On3.
“It’s about what coaches hit me up, it’s about who likes me and who needs me, and where I wanna go play college football.”
Johntay Cook II
Make no mistake, Coach Kiffin likes what he sees in Cook, and will, no doubt, keep recruiting him hard. There’s #NoQuitInTheSip!
Hotty Toddy from the Crootin’ Trail!
(Feature image credit: Lee Ann Herring, The Rebel Walk)
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Herring-Olvedo sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
