The consensus believes that the Chargers will be selecting their franchise left tackle with their first-round pick in this year’s draft.
However, if you’ve experienced a general manager Tom Telesco draft, expect the unexpected.
Los Angeles’ most pressing need outside of left tackle is cornerback.
This year’s class features three top corners, with my top-ranked being South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, who I believe would be the best option for the Bolts, should they go the defensive route with their 13th pick.
Horn, the son of former NFL receiver Joe Horn, saw action in seven games in 2020, registering 16 total tackles along with two interceptions and a team-leading six passes defensed. Horn opted out of the remainder of the season to focus on draft prep.
Horn, the 6-foot and 200-pound corner, has a combination of lower body athleticism and mirror-match skills to stay on the hip of receivers and ball skills to make plays. His physical nature shows in coverage, especially at the line of scrimmage and in run support.
The physicality can get the best of Horn at times, as he can get a little too handsy down the field, resulting in penalties here and there. However, he isn’t one to give up big plays that often.
Overall, Comfortable primarily in press-man coverage, Horn is the type of playmaker who projects as an NFL starter early in his career due to his combination of size, competitiveness, football IQ, smoothness and ball skills.
JAYCEE HORN THREAD!!! I gotta start with this play. He's lined up against seth williams up top (a DAWG in his own right) and just eats. his. lunch. perfect mirror footwork at the LOS and he uses his hands beautifully during the route. just an outstanding rep pic.twitter.com/lcYv7j7kai
— jesse stewart (the phantom of football) (@jessedstew) March 18, 2021
Up to this point, Horn has been in contact with the Chargers a couple of times, according to Chargers Brawl Podcast. He said that he has a connection with defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley and shares the same agency (Athletes First) as safety Derwin James.
If Los Angeles was to take Horn, he would primarily line up on the outside opposite of Michael Davis, with the ability to move into the slot on occasion. His combination of speed and physicality are two traits that would serve him well on special teams.