Panthers Draft Jaycee Horn at No. 8 | Team Fit and What to Expect

With the eighth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Panthers draft Jaycee Horn, cornerback out of South Carolina. You can argue whether or not Horn is the top corner, but he is without a doubt one of the top two available in the draft. Horn played college football at South Carolina and won’t be moving far, to a Panthers defense that needs help in their secondary.

Jaycee Horn Highlights

Jaycee Horn NFL Draft Profile and Stats

Jaycee Horn
Position: Cornerback
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 205 lbs
Age: 21
College: South Carolina Gamecocks

Jaycee Horn 2020 Stats

Total Tackles: 16
Solo Tackles: 10
Interceptions: 2
Passes Defended: 6

Jaycee Horn Draft Profile

Strengths

• Ideal size for the NFL
• Consistent progression as a player throughout college
• Has played and excelled slot and outside corner positions in college
• Played against plenty of stiff competition in the SEC
• NFL blood with Joe Horn as his father

Weaknesses

• Off coverage abilities are of some concern
• Doesn’t utilize his size which makes him not as good of a tackler as he should be
• At times just flat out misses ball carriers when trying to make a tackle
• Over-reliant on mirroring routes can lead to bad missteps in man coverage

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RELATED | Full Jaycee Horn NFL Draft Profile, Highlights and Stats

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What to Expect From Jaycee Horn in 2021

The Panthers have been in serious need of a lockdown corner ever since the departure of Josh Norman, and Jaycee Horn might just fit that role for them. The Panthers defense is decent overall but would be much better, if not for a travesty of a secondary. Horn has the physical abilities to start right away in an NFL defense, which is part of the reason why he’s deserving of a top ten pick in the draft.

Horn will likely immediately become the corner the Panthers put on the #1 receiver of their opponent. Such a pick was much needed, seeing they see Tom Brady and the vaunted Tampa Bay offense two times a year, as well as an improved Falcons offense with their selection of Kyle Pitts. This team believes they have solved their quarterback issue with their trade of Darnold so their drafting of Horn makes the Panthers flexible to take the best available for the reminder of the draft as their biggest need in the secondary is now filled.