Twenty-three Longhorns drew raucous applause in the pregame festivities honoring the Texas seniors at Royal-Memorial Stadium, but none had a louder reaction than Jordan Whittington, a sixth-year senior playing his last game at home.

A 5-star recruit from South Texas high school powerhouse Cuero, Whittington came to Austin on the heels of a record-setting 334 yards and five touchdowns rushing in a win over Pleasant Grove in the Class 4A Division II title game in 2018. The versatile 6-foot-1, 205-pound athlete shifted to receiver for Texas, where he spent much of the next four seasons in the slot.

More: Texas receiver Jordan Whittington's touchdown catch was way overdue

Whittington has battled injuries for much of his collegiate career, which helped prevent him from matching his recruiting hype. He's racked up 111 career catches for 1,427 yards, but his impact on the team can't be measured by statistics. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian and Whittington's teammates all say he's one of the most respected players on the team.

“He's one of our leaders,” senior safety Jerrin Thompson said. “He’s that guy who's been here and changed the culture. He’s just one of those guys who always keeps it real."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Jordan Whittington became team leader for Texas Longhorns football