Austin Westlake 2027 OL Jackson Cook remembers what it felt like when nobody was calling.

Before the camps. Before the offers. Before the Texas Longhorns came through with the biggest moment in his recruitment. 

That is mainly why the moment meant so much. 

"What a surreal birthday present to me," Cook posted. "Thank you for the opportunity to play for Texas."

The offer did not come out of nowhere. 

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound lineman has been one of the offseason's biggest stars, earning OL MVP honors at the Next Level Athlete Texas Top 100 Showcase and following it with impressive performances at the Under Armour Next Camp and the Rivals Camp.

For Cook, those camps were about more than MVP medals.

They were about answering a question he had heard for a long time.

"I think I'm a lot better than I was last year," Cook said. "I can feel it. The question for me for the longest time. I came from a little school, and I started getting recruited, and people were like, 'Can he play against competition?' I went to camps and everything, but people still questioned it. I think coming to these camps has solidified the fact that I can play against the best in the nation, the best in the country, whoever you want to put me against."

Camp success was only part of the rise.

Cook had a breakout junior campaign for the Chaparrals after moving in from Lago Vista, where he now plays under head coach Tony Salazar and offensive line coach John Rosch, finishing his junior season with 72 pancake blocks. 

"No words. No words at all. It's a big blessing in my life. I'm grateful for my parents and all the coaches. It's a giant jump. There's no words to describe it. It's a giant family. We didn't live up to the expectations this season, but the jump and the leaps and bounds I've made moving to Westlake with (OL) Coach (John) Rosch and the experience he has, and all the opportunities Westlake gives, I just can't describe it."

Recruiting attention has poured in. Cook has collected more than 20 scholarship offers, and he has official visits scheduled with SMU, Arkansas and Duke. 

Texas A&M and OL Coach Adam Cushing have been closely tracking his development, and could be next in line. 

"I'd say Duke has always been on there," Cook said. "They were one of my first offers. SMU is climbing there. Arkansas as well. San Diego State just offered me, and I talk to them regularly now. Duke is probably the one I talk to the most right now."

Versatility is his calling card. Cook can play across the offensive line and even handle center snaps if needed.

"Obviously, I'm a little undersized, so I'm probably going to be a guard or center," Cook said. "But they've told me I'm a versatile guy, so if all the right tackles or left tackles go down, they said throw me out there and they'll know I'll get the job done."

Cook has been putting in the work throughout the offseason to realize his dreams of playing college football at an elite level, and when UT offered, it confirmed the work was paying off.

"I appreciate everybody who offers and talks to me because I remember what it's like not to have anything," Cook said. "I'm just grateful for it all."