“The son of four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Joe Horn, South Carolina Gamecocks cornerback Jaycee Horn enters the NFL after three seasons in the SEC where he demonstrated consistent growth. (via B/R’s /DRwtX6Ctvm- B/R Gridiron ApWhat others are saying about Jaycee Horn Personally, to me the only reason Horn wouldn’t make sense is if the Broncos chose quarterback in the first round or if they didn’t go quarterback but a couple other potentially generational players at their positions were still on the board, such as Penei Sewell or Micah Parsons.Īnd even then, I would personally still be tempted to go cornerback.īut putting all draft chess pieces aside, a few of Horn’s tendencies may not be a great fit in Denver, primarily some questions about his tackling ability and his penchant for physicality in coverage (a nice euphemism for “grabby”) to avoid getting penalized for a flag-hungry officials corps.īut his strong showing at South Carolina’s Pro Day and his 77 1/4-inch wingspan will likely make a lot of those concerns disappear.Ĭorner says he’d lock up his dad-former Saints WR Joe Horn-if they went one-on-one in pops’ prime 9 or earlier, they could get some draft capital by trading down and still possibly get an elite corner like Horn.
It’s also possible, though no guarantee as his stock has risen over the past month, that Horn could still be acquired later in the first round, so if the Broncos didn’t go QB at No. What’s missing in his game are ball skills and tackling as a run defender.” He’s a little grabby, but I think that can get coached out of him. “A guy that plays with a lot of confidence, sticky in coverage. “I think Jaycee Horn certainly has a case as well especially when you think of him in a Vic Fangio defense with a lot of press coverage,” Marino said, adding that although Horn isn’t as good of a tackler or have as good of ball skills as some others, he likes him in press-man. 9, and if it wasn’t his favorite cornerback of the 2021 class - Caleb Farley - he could see Horn in Denver. The Draft Network says Horn’s ideal role is as a boundary corner and ideal fit is a zone scheme with press man duties - a good fit for Fangio.Įarlier this spring on Broncos Country Tonight, Draft Network’s Joe Marino said he’d love to see Broncos take a corner at No.
9 and one of their target rookie QBs doesn’t make it that far - there’s a better-than-50-50 chance Denver plans to fortify its defense with its first pick.Īnd it’s no secret that even though George Paton made some nice moves in free agency to fill in big holes in the secondary - adding Kyle Fuller and Ronald Darby to help Bryce Callahan - the cornerback room can never have too much depth. It’s hardly worth stating at this point, but if the Broncos don’t try to make a move up to get a quarterback in the first round - or if they stay at No. His size, speed and athleticism make him an attractive prospect for teams like Denver who may need a young corner to fulfill a starting role at some point this season or definitely next. Starting as a true freshman, Horn covered from the slot initially and then moved to boundary corner where he’s predicted to play in the NFL.ĭepending on which draft guru you consult, Horn is generally mentioned among the top three or four and is expected to earn snaps right away in nickel and dime packages. As the son of four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Joe Horn, Jaycee has great size, frame and physical style of play.
Horn is also no stranger to the pro football life. At the 2020 Combine, the last time the event was held before COVID-19 closures, just five players had a better vertical jump than Horn’s Pro Day.ĭetermining who is the best cornerback, much less the best defender, in the 2021 Draft is clearly subjective.īut there’s no doubt Horn is in the conversation.Īs a Gamecock, Horn led the defense in pass breakups the last two years, with nine in 2019 and six in 2020, including two interceptions - a season he only played seven games before opting out and declaring for the Draft.
Horn’s 40-yard dash time was 4.37, and he reportedly benched 225 pounds 19 times.
I feel like I am the best defensive player in the draft.”Īccording to South Carolina, the 6-foot Horn weighed 205 pounds and logged a 41 1/2-inch vertical leap plus an 11-foot, 1-inch broad jump. I faced every receiver’s body type from Kyle Pitts (Florida tight end) to Elijah Moore and (Heisman Trophy winner) Devonta Smith. “I feel like I’m the best defensive player in the draft,” The State newspaper reported. Three weeks ago, just before his Pro Day at the University of South Carolina March 24, Horn told the media that he’s even more than just the best corner. He’s the best cornerback in the Draft this year. Jaycee Horn would like you to know something.