Tag: Jaycee Horn

2021 NFL draft: Mel Kiper Jr. pairs Jets with Devonta Smith, Jaycee Horn in first mock

In his latest mock draft, draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. has the Jets selecting Devonta Smith and Jaycee Horn with their first-round picks.

Mel Kiper Jr. has the Jets making a bit of a surprise pick in his first mock draft.

The longtime ESPN NFL draft analyst hasn’t been shy about his opinion on New York’s quarterback position. Kiper believes that the Jets should run it back with Sam Darnold under center.

The draft essentially begins with the Jets selection at No. 2, as Trevor Lawrence is a foregone conclusion to go to the Jaguars at No. 1. With that, Kiper elects to spurn the quarterback position altogether and sends Alabama wide receiver Devonta Smith to Gang Green.

Here’s Kiper’s explanation for the selection:

This is where the intrigue in the draft begins. Will the Jets stick with quarterback Sam Darnold for another year, or will they take either Zach Wilson or Justin Fields? (Or maybe even trade for Deshaun Watson?) The good news for general manager Joe Douglas and new coach Robert Saleh is that they have three months to figure it out. This is a huge decision, and Douglas and Saleh have to be 100% sure that Wilson or Fields is an upgrade over Darnold. My feeling right now is that yes, Darnold’s stats are ugly, but he’s only 23 and he has had no offensive talent around him for three years. Do the Jets really want to move on from him and watch him thrive elsewhere? That’s why they could give him a one-year audition under Saleh, pick the Heisman Trophy winner at No. 2, and give Darnold one more shot to put all of his talent together. Smith is the true No. 1 target that Darnold hasn’t had.

If New York does elect to keep Darnold as its quarterback going forward, Smith projects as the true No. 1 wide receiver the Jets have been lacking since Brandon Marshall’s 2015 season.

Smith put up record numbers on his way to being named the Heisman this past season. The Alabama wideout recorded 117 receptions for 1,865 yards with 23 touchdowns. If there were any doubts about his Heisman victory, Smith put those to rest with a record-setting performance in Alabama’s National Championship win. He caught 12 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns en route to winning the game’s Offensive MVP.

As for New York’s second first-rounder, the one it acquired in the Jamal Adams trade, Kiper has the Jets taking South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn.

Here’s his explanation for New York’s second first-round selection:

The Jets have needs all over. After I gave them wideout DeVonta Smith at No. 2, they really have to go with the best available prospect here to build up their talent base. I think they will likely bring back free-agent safety Marcus Maye, but we know Robert Saleh’s defense is built around big defensive backs. The 6-foot-1 Horn — yes, his father is former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn — is a fit. He had two interceptions (both in the win over Auburn) in seven games last season before he opted out, but he has great instincts in coverage and should pick off more passes in the NFL. This is also a spot to watch for edge rushers — New York needs to improve there.

Jaycee is a physical, imposing cornerback, standing at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds. Despite finishing his collegiate career with just two interceptions, he improved across every season at South Carolina and projects to be a starting outside cornerback at the next level.

The Jets could certainly use such a defensive back.

Titans take Jaycee Horn in Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft 1.0

Another mock draft has the Titans taking the CB out of South Carolina.

On Friday, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah released his first mock draft of the year, and in it he has the Tennessee Titans taking a cornerback in the first round.

With the No. 22 overall pick, Jeremiah pegs South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn to the Titans, which is a pick we also saw Pro Football Focus’ Seth Galina make in his mock draft.

“The Titans need better cover guys on the back end. Horn has the ability to play at a high level in press or off coverage,” said Jeremiah to explaining his reasoning for the choice.

In seven games during the 2020 season, Horn finished with 16 total tackles, six passes defensed and a career-high two picks.

After an atrocious showing by the Titans’ defense in 2020, and in particular from the secondary and pass rush, there should be a heavy focus on improving that side of the ball, both in free agency and in the draft.

The most dire need is of course the pass rush, which totaled the third-fewest sacks in the NFL in 2020. General manager Jon Robinson needs to make an addition that has an immediate impact for his win-now team, and free agency is the best way to do that.

Could we see an outside linebacker or defensive end added in the first round? Sure, but it’s not automatic, as there has to be one worth taking in that spot.

As far as cornerback is concerned, the Titans will have some questions to answer in the near future.

Adoree’ Jackson will be on the final year of his rookie deal in 2021 and his stock is trending down after he failed to stay healthy again in 2020 and wasn’t very effective when he was on the field.

Malcolm Butler was the Titans’ best corner by a mile last season; however, his contract runs through 2022 and he could become a cap casualty before that happens if money is tight in Nashville.

Of course, Kristian Fulton was thought to be the future at the position, but his rookie campaign was marred by injuries and we didn’t really get to see what he could do, so the jury is still out on the LSU product.

And last but not least, the future of Desmond King, who the Titans acquired in a trade last season, is up in the air as he prepares to hit free agency.

Long story short, it isn’t crazy to think the Titans go cornerback in the first round. We should have a better idea of what direction the team will head once we see what moves are made in free agency.

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Defensive prospects Chargers could target with No. 13 pick in 2021 NFL draft

Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lists six defenders that could be on Los Angeles’ radar.

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The Chargers are loaded with talent on the defensive side of the ball, but there are some players that are set to be free agents like edge defender Melvin Ingram and some that might have their best playing days behind them like cornerback Casey Hayward.

With that being said, let’s dive into some potential defensive targets for Los Angeles with pick No. 13.

EDGE Kwity Paye, Michigan

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Like I mentioned, Ingram is set to be a free agent this offseason and the question looms whether or not the Chargers will re-sign him. Given the fact that his contract year consisted of injuries and lack of production when he was on the field, the team might let him test the market. Therefore, Los Angeles could look to find a compliment to Joey Bosa if he walks.

Arguably one of the premier athletes at the position in this year’s class, Paye was featured in Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List. The 6-foot-2 and 270 pounder is an explosive pass rusher who’s powerful with his hands, making him impactful rushing the passer, as equally well as he defends the run.

Given that L.A. only produced 27 sacks during the regular season, Paye could provide another spark the team needs when pressuring quarterbacks. In just four games for the Wolverines, he posted 22 pressures. His alignment versatility would be coveted, too, since he possesses the ability to rush inside and out on obvious passing downs.

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2021 NFL draft: 49ers hit 2 key needs in Draft Wire mock

The 49ers roster gets a boost in the secondary with Jaycee Horn and on the offensive line with Landon Dickerson.

The San Francisco 49ers’ list of draft needs could be altered dramatically over the couple of months leading into free agency. Two spots, offensive line and cornerback, both look like they’ll remain relatively high on the club’s priority list. San Francisco hit both of those needs in a two-round projection posted by Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling.

In this version of the draft, the 49ers select No. 14 and snag South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn.

Horn, listed at 6-1, 205 pounds, played in seven games for the Gamecocks this season before option out for the remainder of the year to prepare for the NFL draft. The only two interceptions of Horn’s career came this season, and he posted 23 pass breakups over his three years at South Carolina. It remains to be seen whether an early opt-out will affect Horn’s draft stock, but early on in the process he looks like a player who could step in and start for the cornerback-needy 49ers on Day 1.

The 49ers’ second pick, which came at No. 45, addressed their need on the offensive line with Alabama’s Landon Dickerson. He has tremendous size for an interior lineman at 6-6, 325 pounds and could be perhaps one of the best two or three players on the Tide’s offense. Dickerson had an injury-ravaged three seasons with Florida State before transferring to Alabama last year. He played right guard last year before transitioning and thriving at center this season.  A versatile player like Dickerson would be a nice fit for a 49ers offensive front that desperately needs help inside.

Vikings updated draft position, plus potential targets

See the Minnesota Vikings’ draft position, plus some potential targets in the 2021 NFL draft.

The Vikings have gone from having a shot at a top draft pick to postseason contention.

Minnesota started the 2020 NFL season at 1-5 — with the fifth loss coming to the Falcons at home. The Vikings had the bye week next up, which gave fans the opportunity to look at options in the 2021 NFL draft.

If the Jets managed to get better (which they didn’t) the Vikings might even have a shot at the No. 1 pick. If Minnesota kept losing, the team probably at least had a chance at maybe quarterbacks Justin Fields or Trey Lance.

That is not the case anymore. Minnesota has won five of its last six games and notched its record to 6-6. If the NFL draft started today, the team would not get a top pick, but rather the No. 20 selection in the first round of the draft.

Here are some potential draft targets, based on the team’s first-round position:

Panthers potential 2021 NFL draft targets: South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn

Panthers potential 2021 NFL draft target: South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn.

Despite the blunders against Minnesota this past week, the Panthers’ defense has been trending in the right direction. The pass rush is picking up, the run defense is steadily improving and Jermey Chinn is a serious defensive rookie of the year candidate. However, the cornerback group and the rest of the secondary has been extremely inconsistent.

In fact, since Josh Norman left, the Panthers have not had a true No. 1 corner they can rely on to match up with the NFC South’s physical receivers. Let’s take a look at a prospect who could change all that: South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn.

Profile:
6-foot-1, 205 pounds
Projected 40 yard dash: 4.45 seconds

Pros: Yes Panthers fans, Jaycee is the son of Saints legend Joe Horn. Hear me out on this though, because Jaycee is going to be one heck of a player. Horn is a tough, lanky, physical and athletically gifted DB. He is tremendous in press coverage, an alpha at the catch point and excellent in zone. Speed is not his strong suit, but Horn displays “good enough” wheels for the corner position. He has shown on film that he can shut down physical wide receivers, such as Auburn’s Seth Williams. Horn also displays great play strength in his tackling ability and with his hands at the catch point. He is the definition of a physical, ball-hawking, outside corner.

Cons: Horn is fine in man coverage but, because of his physical play style, he gets a bit grabby with his hands and occasionally draws pass interference flags because of it. He also is a bit stiff in the hips while flipping into his transition and has been burned before by speedsters such as Auburn’s Anthony Schwartz.

Overall, Horn projects really well to the NFL. He can make an immediate impact covering the league’s most physical receivers in zone-heavy schemes.

2020 Highlights:

How he compares:
Horn is definitely overshadowed in the cornerback group by Alabama’s Pat Surtain III and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley. Horn seems to have established himself as CB3 in this year’s class, though. Farley and Surtain III are more well-rounded corners overall, but Horn is bigger and far more physical. At the end of the day, scheme fits and play style preference will be the determining factor as to how high Horn will go.

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Giants select CB Jaycee Horn in 2021 Draft Wire mock

In the latest 2021 mock draft from Draft Wire, the New York Giants select cornerback Jaycee Horn.

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Up until several weeks ago, the New York Giants were entrenched in the top 10 of just about every expert’s 2021 NFL mock draft. Since, they’ve won three straight and moved into first place in the NFC East, they are no longer in that neighborhood.

In Draft Wire’s latest mock, columnist Luke Easterling places the Giants at No. 19 in the first round and adds to their secondary, which has been the most volatile, but most productive unit on their roster this season.

19. New York Giants | South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn

James Bradberry was a huge win in free agency this offseason, but the Giants could still use an upgrade across the field from their top cover man,” writes Bradberry. “The son of former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn, Jaycee has been lights out so far this season, showing off a fantastic blend of ball skills and instincts to go with his ideal size and length.

No doubt the Giants could use some prime talent across the field from Bradberry, who along with safeties Jabrill Peppers and Logan Ryan have played at a Pro Bowl level, especially after losing DeAndre Baker and Sam Beal this year.

The Giants have been able to make do with Isaac Yiadom and Darnay Holmes at the corner as well as Ryan Lewis, but that won’t preclude them from continuing to bolster the secondary.

Horn (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) has opted out after seven games at South Carolina this season to concentrate on the NFL Draft. Horn was in the middle of a breakout year. Through seven games, he had recorded 16 tackles, two interceptions and six passes defensed.

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2021 NFL Draft: Bills deepen playmakers in 3-round bye week mock

Buffalo Bills 2021 NFL mock draft during their 2020 bye week.

The Buffalo Bills are looking forward to their next six games as they sit on their hands during the bye week.

Much, much beyond that the Bills will have the 2021 NFL Draft to look forward to. Of course, we’re very far away from that… the sun hasn’t even set on the regular season yet.

But again, it’s the bye week… so let’s have some fun. Our friends at Draft Wire recently released their latest three-round mock draft… and in this upcoming rookie extravaganza, Buffalo does have a first-round pick as well, unlike 2020.

So what do the Bills do in this recent mock? Address a couple of playmaker spots on both sides of the ball. Here’s who D/W’s Luke Easterling pegs for the Bills:

28. Jaycee Horn | CB | South Carolina

59. Chris Olave | WR | Ohio State

91. Victor Dimukeje | EDGE | Duke

In Horn, the Bills would add a big-framed defensive back at 6-foot-1 that has experience playing in a zone scheme like Buffalo runs. Olave has decent size for the wideout position at 6-foot, but he has a highly-praised route tree. Dimukeje had 8.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 2019.

Positionally, all three prospects are very interesting picks for the Bills. It can be argued at all three positions on the Bills’ current roster are deep… but a case can be made for each.

At cornerback, Levi Wallace, Cam Lewis and Josh Norman will add be free agents after the 2020 season. While Wallace has been a solid performer in his career, the Bills have continually brought in competition for him, perhaps indicating they want a longer-term solution at the No. 2 cornerback spot across from Tre’Davious White.

In the wide receiver room, the only pending free agents are Isaiah McKenzie and Andre Roberts, who’s mostly a kick returner. But if Buffalo did move on from the pair, that’d open up roster spot for a guy like Isaiah Hodgins, a current rookie who has been injury all season, and perhaps another fresh face like Olave.

Looking even further in the future, John Brown will be a free after the 2021 season while Cole Beasley sees his dead cap hit drop to $1.5 million. If the Bills wanted to get younger at the position at that time, they’d have the option to do so. Although, these two do clearly have plenty left in the tank at this time.

Dimukeje might actually be the most interesting selection considering Buffalo’s second-round investment in AJ Epenesa in 2020, however, Trent Murphy will be a free agent after 2020.

Regardless, this is all an exercise in fun for now and food for thought. Plenty of dust needs to settle before any of these guys can be pegged for Buffalo.

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South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn opts out, will declare for 2021 NFL draft

South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn is opting out of the rest of the 2020 college football season and will declare for the 2021 NFL draft

The wild and everchanging 2020 college football season continues, with another top prospect opting out and preparing early for the next level.

Not 24 hours after the South Carolina Gamecocks relieved Will Muschamp of his duties as head coach, another domino has fallen on the defensive side of the ball.

One of the top cornerback prospects in the 2021 NFL draft class, Jaycee Horn has opted out of the 2020 season.

South Carolina fell to 2-5 and 6th in the SEC East after their latest loss to Ole Miss.

The son of former NFL WR Joe Horn will now focus all of his energy on preparing for the upcoming NFL draft process. Horn could one of many SEC players to hear their name called on opening night of the three-day event.

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Cardinals 2021 NFL draft profile: South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn

One big name is a player that screams consistency and that is the 6-foot-1 and 205 pound cornerback Jaycee Horn from South Carolina. 

The Arizona Cardinals are coming off an impressive win against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football, ending Seattle’s undefeated streak. The Cardinals defense are now ranked 20th in the league and they have lost some key players due to injuries like Chandler Jones and Robert Alford. General manager Steve Keim has transformed the Cardinals from a team that last year sat in the bottom of the NFC West to a now playoff-contending team. However, they have allowed an average of 247.3 passing yards per game, according to ESPN. One of the biggest struggles on consistency for their Cardinals is the cornerback room. While Byron Murphy is still young and entering his second year, he certainly has room to grow. However, there have been some nice flashes including his big third-down sack against the Seahawks. The Cardinals also only have Dre Kirkpatrick on a one-year deal, so they will need another secondary playmaker for their future.
Looking ahead into the 2021 NFL draft, there are talented cornerbacks the Cardinals could potentially select in the first round. One big name is a player that screams consistency and that is the 6-foot-1 and 205-pound cornerback Jaycee Horn from South Carolina.
Jaycee Horn has been nothing short of impressive throughout his past two seasons as a Gamecock. Last season, he finished with 40 total tackles and a sack. Through five games this season, Horn has 13 total tackles and two interceptions. He does a nice job keeping balance throughout the play and possesses a great amount of speed. Horn has gone up against elite talent like Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, Auburn receiver Seth Williams and Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith, all who have put themselves on the radar as early-round draft picks. One game that stands out for Horn so far this season is his game against Auburn where he was lined up against a big-bodied receiver in Seth Williams. Williams had 11 targets and only caught four of them for a total of 74 yards. Horn did an impressive job containing Williams by using his feet and hands to prevent him from making those big plays. Horn does a really nice job opening up his hips to anticipate the routes of the receiver. One play that analysts pointed out was against Florida when Horn was lined up against Pitts. As one of the commentators said, Horn stayed tight with Pitts and “worked back to get his arm wrapped low”.  Jaycee Horn has put himself on the map as a first-round potential prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has the talent to an elite NFL corner and would be an integral part to the Cardinals defense.
Jaycee Horn has room to grow in certain areas of his game. He does tend to play high at times. This will be an easy fix for him, as he has been efficient playing low. He just needs to stay consistent with it. Horn has been impressive lining up against big-bodied receivers. However, sometimes he is not as physical as he should be, which isn’t necessarily a red flag. Horn certainly has shown physicality at times, but if he can play even more physical and aggressive, that will help him immensely at the next level when he is going up against elite talent.
Jaycee Horn would be an immediate impact for the Cardinals’ secondary. With his speed, vision and consistency, Horn very well could be selected in the first round of the draft, and he would be the perfect pick for the Cardinals. He has areas of his game to work on, but Horn has made a name of himself as one of the top corners in the draft this year.
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