The Carolina Panthers selected South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn with the eighth overall pick in the NFL Draft on Friday.
Most fans may be familiar with Horn’s father, former Saints wideout Joe Horn, but Jaycee has made a name for himself as a defensive back at the University of South Carolina.
He immediately made an impact as a freshman, starting 10 of 11 games in 2018, finishing with 45 tackles, including two sacks and four for a loss, and had eight pass deflections. He had two interceptions through seven games in 2020 but opted out after head coach Will Muschamp was fired.
Measurables: 6'1"/205
School: South Carolina
2020 stats: 7 games, 16 tackles (10 solo), 1 tackle for loss, 2 interceptions, 6 passes defensed
Accolades: 2020 Second-Team All-SEC; 2019 SEC Academic Honor Roll; 2018 All-SEC Freshman Team;
Strengths:
• Prototypical size and plays to it
• Plays tough, physical
• Versatility – can play man, zone, press man
• Excellent on blitzes, can get to QB
• Effective closing burst after early separation
• Outstanding awareness
Weaknesses:
• Concerns about speed and if he keep up with deep threats
• Can improve open field tackling
• Can get too "handsy" during routes
Expert scout analysis: "Horn is a large, athletic defensive back who plays aggressive football. He displayed tremendous development in his game last season and has all the necessary tools to develop into a No. 1 cornerback on Sundays. Horn comes with huge upside, and in time, he should develop into one of the better defenders to come from this year’s draft." -Tony Pauline, ProFootballNetwork
Tape:
Player comparisons: Kyle Fuller (Charlie Campbell, Eric Edholm); Jimmy Smith (Lance Zeirlein)
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