Rookie Spotlight: Jordan Whittington, Texas

Height: 6-1″ (unofficial)
Weight: 204 (unofficial)
2024 Age: 24 –  (2/19/00)
40-yard dash: 4.53 (projected)

NFL Play-Style Comparison: Kendrick Bourne
Draft Grade: 5th Round
Breakout Age: No Breakout

 

Offensive Market Share Metrics (Final Season)

Receptions: 13%
Receiving Yards: 12%
Receiving TDs: 4%

High School: Cuero (Cuero, Texas)
As a high school prospect: Class of 2019; 4-star
College Attended: Texas

 

Pros
– statistically, his best games came when the lights were brightest (Oklahoma, Alabama, Washington)

– culture builder

– expansive route tree, while also being utilized in specialty quick game

– great framer of the football with cognition to protect upon contact

– 4th in the Big 12 with 13 missed tackles forced

– strong run blocker downfield with grit and knowledge of overall offensive gameplay

 

 

Cons

– lacks top-end speed

– heavy feet on the majority of routes, causing separation early to pale

– 24.5 years old when his rookie season begins

– his gait would lead you to believe he carries some excessive weight on his lower half

– 74.5% of his opportunities came in the slot, while the majority of his work outside came during his RS Junior season (36.3%)

 

 

Scouting Notes:
In 40 career games at Texas, Whittington eclipsed 60 receiving yards in a game just 9 times, but those 9 games were pivotal, including three against Oklahoma, two against TCU, Alabama, and Washington. As dependable as the other side of the pillow is cool, just as Roschon Johnson was in 2022, Whittington was the heartbeat of this 2023 Texas Longhorn team and was often looked at as the most dependable receiver on the field to make the right play, but also as almost a second quarterback on the field. In high school, Whittington broke the Texas State Championship rushing record with 334 yards and 5 touchdowns, records held by former Longhorn Jonathan Gray and NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson. The third youngest of 10 children, Whittington dealt with nagging injuries his first three seasons on the forty acres, missing over a dozen football games. He has since bounced back, missing 0 games during the 2022 and 2023 seasons and earning all-big 12 honorable mention honors at the wide receiver position, appearing in all 27 games and earning an invitation to the Reece’s Senior Bowl.

Fantasy Outlook:

Used almost as a swiss army knife in college, Whittington should start out as a heavily used special teamer with run-blocking down prowess, in rookie fantasy football drafts I am letting him fall until the 5th round or become a UDFA that I can backfill my roster with before training camp this fall. He has the tools and intangibles to grow in an offense quickly, but his speed and athleticism may slow down his first season in the NFL. Longterm he is a player I’d like to have on my taxi squads, as I do believe his grit, talent, and abilities will shine through and give us something in the neighborhood of a 700-yard season at least once or twice in his professional career.

Cody Carpentier