A 4-star recruit out of high school, Jaycee Horn has received offers from some of the best programs in the country; schools like Alabama, Clemson, LSU and Ohio State competed to secure their talents, but in the end, it was South Carolina that won its signature.
“South Carolina was the best option for me,” said Horn of his decision to sign with Gamecocks. And how right he was. He would end his freshman season with 10 games out of 11 games, and won the SEC freshman honors.
Horn didn’t look back from there. After an equally impressive sophomore season, all eyes were on the corner as the Gamecocks prepared for the 2020 season.
Although he impressed individually, registering some of the best defensive performances in college football as a junior (his match against Auburn was perhaps the best game from any corner last season), South Carolina struggled to get the ball rolling. With their 2-5 record in the middle of the season, the Gamecocks dismissed coach Will Muschamp from his duties, prompting Horn to opt out of the rest of the season to focus on Draft.
With his career in South Carolina now in the books, I decided to delve deeply into what makes Horn such an exciting prospect for NFL defenses.
Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina (Jr.)
6 ft-1, 205 pounds
Forces: Horn’s father, Joe, won four Pro Bowl nominations as a wide receiver in his NFL career. It should not be surprising, then, that the corner exhibits natural skills with the ball. He is routinely able to locate the ball in flight and position himself to make a move, whether it be breaking passes or going down with the ball. Horn totaled two pedestrian interceptions and 6 pass deviations last season, but that was not for lack of effort – the teams were smart enough not to play in their direction.
Horn is an impressive athlete, combining loose hips with light feet to stay focused on his coverage assignments. While there were some concerns about Horn’s straight-line speed, he recently recorded 4.39 on the 40-yard dash, according to ESPN’s Matt Miller. The combined numbers do not always translate into speed and explosion in the field, but Horn’s time must go a long way to dispel any myths about his inability to stay close to his man in the field.
The covering of the man is the bread and butter of the Horn. Its speed, contraction and polished first step at the moment of the snap of the ball make it very difficult to hit outside the line. He has strong hands that he uses to block receivers out of their ranges, and his solid structure means that he rarely encounters a physical incompatibility.
Although it lines up primarily as a border corner, it has shown the ability to function as a nickelback in the Gamecocks system. Its mix of size and fluid athleticism makes it physical enough to face X receivers on the outside, and an athlete good enough to match the receivers in the slot. This kind of versatility is rare to find.
Weaknesses: The word “grabbed” came to mind when watching Horn’s tape. Whether at the moment of the ball snap, at the top of the route rod or at the receiving point, Horn usually uses his hands to interrupt the flow of his matchup. His aggressive coverage technique earned him a fair amount of flags in South Carolina. If he wants to enjoy a long career in the NFL, where he will be covering receivers who travel the best routes, they are quick enough to create more separation and experienced the enough to know how to design flags, this is a trend that he will have to learn to roll quickly.
As good as Jaycee Horn is in coverage, he has proven to be an unreliable defender. Horn shows a willingness to initiate contact, but very rarely ends and continues his tackle attempts, leading to more YAC opportunities for opponents carrying the ball.
Scheme adjustment: A heavy scheme would give Jaycee Horn the best chance of success. He shines in the press and off-man, so being inserted in a defense that prioritizes man-to-man coverage will allow Horn to do what he does best: neutralize the other team’s best weapon.
Team setting: We still don’t know if Horn has met virtually any of his potential landing locations in the NFL’s 2021 Draft, but there is little doubt that the corner will be seen as a potential Day 1 selection for any team that needs to reinforce its secondary. Horn could easily find his way into the top 10 if the Denver Broncos (Choice 9) or the Dallas Cowboys (No. 10) favor it over the other top corner prospects in the draft.
I see Horn landing with the Arizona Cardinals (No. 16 overall). The Cards were ranked 22nd in the final secondary rating of the PFF for the 2020 season, and with strong cornerback Patrick Peterson potentially testing the free agency, an injection of youth into the defensive unit could be exactly what the doctor ordered.