2021 NFL Draft Profile: Jaycee Horn

Similar to Jaycee Horn's own approach on the field, teams aren't going to be shy in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft when it comes to the South Carolina cornerback. Horn not only doesn't lack confidence on the field, he's also got the athleticism and physicality to back it up, and boasts an NFL pedigree to boot. Those are all reasons why he's fully expected to be among the first at his position to come off the board in the first round.

(This profile is one of 230 featured in the Athlon Sports 2021 NFL Draft Guide. With in-depth scouting reports on the top prospects, position rankings, and more, no source will have you better prepared for draft day. Click here to get your copy.)

Jaycee Horn Draft Profile

College: South Carolina
Class: Jr.
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 205

Strong Points

The son of longtime Saints star receiver Joe Horn, Jaycee brings a similar blend of length, fluid athleticism and confidence. He’s at his best lining up in off-coverage, where he effectively keeps one eye on the quarterback while the other is on the receiver. He’s tight in his backpedal for a long corner and shows excellent route recognition skills. He breaks quickly on the ball, getting his hands on a lot of passes thanks to his long arms and physicality at the catch point. Despite the lack of ball production, he shows the kind of timing and hands to capitalize on mistakes. He lines up underneath the receiver’s chinstrap on occasion and can effectively jam with his quick hands; he can flip his hips and run downfield. His fluid athleticism allows him to effectively mirror underneath better than most big corners. He’s very willing in run support.

Weak Points

Horn walks a fine line with his physicality; he often invites quarterbacks to test him and ends up in a lot of bang-bang plays that sometimes result in flags. He also has to play a little more under control in run support, where the effort is sometimes marked by overaggressiveness.

Summary

There’s a little bit of Richard Sherman in his game — he’s an ultra-confident and physical corner who wants to play off-coverage and have the ball thrown his way. The potential is there for him to become a very good No. 1 corner.

Final Grade: 1st round