Texas A&M‘s recruiting efforts cannot be stopped after four-star wide receiver Jaylan Hornsby announced his commitment on Saturday, and it sets up the Aggies to have one of the most multifaceted receiving rooms in the future.
At 6-2 and 195 pounds, Hornsby brings a jolt of physicality and length that should work well in offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s new scheme. Historically, Petrino’s spread offense tends to leverage four-receivers sets predicated on stick and option routes.
In Petrino’s playbook, a versatile route tree that can stretch anywhere between six to 10 yards helps move the chains, particularly on third downs, while accounting for safe throws from the quarterback.
This system allows a talent like Hornsby to step in and make an impact both on the outside and even within the slot if called upon. When glancing at his high school tape, he typically operated on the outside while doing most of his damage on go-routes, making calculated assessments of opposing coverages before using his length and leaping ability to make a catch over a defensive back.
He may not be the type to use a quick first gear to blaze past a defender, but by all means, he has the tools to create just enough separation from his defender to win the matchup.
Generating yards after the catch will be an immense area of opportunity in Petrino’s offense, and that is a facet in which Hornsby should thrive. Alongside running go-routes, Hornsby was no stranger to making quick work of screens and turning press coverage into fades. It resulted in him averaging roughly 20 yards per reception during the 2022 season.
As a physical player who welcomes contact and can play through it due to his balance and toughness, Hornsby could see plenty of snaps in both red zone and goal-line situations. If Jimbo Fisher and Petrino want to become more aggressive on fourth-down conversion opportunities, having an adept talent like Hornsby will go a long way in being confident within those short-yardage situations.
Texas A&M’s newest commit should be more than capable of lining up nearly anywhere on the field, and while he’ll certainly work on expanding his route tree once he makes the jump to the collegiate level, his physicality, length, and knack for playing through contact should make him a key fulcrum of the Aggies offense in the future.
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