Today we will be looking at Jaycee Horn, South Carolina’s 6’1″ 205 lb. cornerback whose 2020 season has seen him enter the first round conversation. Horn opted out of the remainder of the season on November 16, 2020, and declared for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Strengths: Horn has a long and stocky build made for covering X receivers in press coverage, in which he excels by combining his frame with high-level physicality, play strength, and technique. He immediately pops the wide receiver at the line with his jam, effectively crowding his release, and proceeds to consistently re-route the receiver with his hands. He generally stays in phase with the receiver, appearing to have solid quickness, fluidity, and speed (seemingly around a 4.50) for his size. He also uses his physicality and size to push the receiver’s route to the sideline and close the throwing window. He has no issue with big, physical receivers, as he matches their tone very well. His competitive toughness, confidence, and brash demeanor are always on display. Horn is very good at disrupting the catch point, always trying to make a play on the football and prevent the catch, even at the last moment. He did not have any interceptions in his collegiate career prior to 2020, but has shown some ability to come away with the football this season. Horn shows developing ability in zone coverage, with good discipline and emerging instincts. He is battle-tested, having gone up against many NFL talents in the SEC. In run support, Horn displays solid block shedding.
Weaknesses: Horn is extremely grabby, and will generate many pass interference and defensive holding calls early in his career, making for a significant obstacle in his development that he will have to overcome. Additionally, his grabbiness throughout the route leads me to wonder if he has sufficient fluidity and athleticism to cover many NFL receivers, or if he stays in phase due to his grabbiness that he will not get away with at the next level. Quick and fast receivers occasionally gave him issues, and this could be amplified in the NFL when he is no longer as free to impose his physicality on them. Horn also does not possess a special burst to recover when he allows separation. He also plays too high, which slows him down in terms of speed and change of direction. Playing consistently lower will be key at the next level. Despite showing encouraging signs of development in zone coverage, it is clearly not his strength as he looks way less comfortable than in man. He is also not as good of a tackler as his size and physicality would suggest. He is no liability in this department, but is very inconsistent with some of his tackles, lacking proper technique and effort. Despite finally recording interceptions in 2020, he will likely never be a true ballhawk.
Bottom Line: Possessing great size and physicality, Horn will certainly appeal to teams that love press coverage cornerbacks. Unfortunately, I expect his grabbiness to expose him in the NFL, both in terms of penalties and in revealing his true athletic ability and fluidity. His NFL success will be defined by how he responds to a slur of penalties early in his career, and whether or not he will be able to keep staying in phase with receivers when he learns that he cannot keep grabbing so much. He will always be able to match up well against big, jump-ball receivers, but he may never become the type of NFL CB1 who can mirror quick receivers.
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