4 key early matchups for Panthers CB Jaycee Horn in 2021
By Dean Jones
What are some of the key matchups facing new Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn during the first month of the 2021 season?
The Carolina Panthers now have something to work towards in terms of dates for the 2021 season. With the league formally publishing the schedule on Wednesday evening, fans and players alike were checking their diaries for specific matchups that will be obviously catching the eye at certain stages of the campaign.
One such example will be rookie cornerback Jaycee Horn. The Panthers delivered something of a surprise when they took the South Carolina product at No. 8 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, meaning plenty will be expected of the player right from the outset.
This bears more significance when one considers free agent signing A.J. Bouye is suspended for the first two games of the season. Horn will be slotted to start opposite Donte Jackson on the outside and might even be tasked with covering the opposition’s best weapon in the passing game thanks to the outstanding physical attributes he brings to the table.
It might be a baptism of fire for Horn considering how rookie corners tend to struggle initially. However, the incoming college recruit has the right attitude and athleticism to become a real difference-maker with a smooth transition to the professional ranks.
With this in mind, we took a look at the first four weeks of the 2021 season to see who Horn might be lined up against and how he’ll fare.
Week 1
Carolina Panthers vs. New York Jets
- Potential matchup – Corey Davis
This will be focused primarily on Sam Darnold, whose first official game for the Carolina Panthers will come against his former team. The New York Jets cast him aside once they concluded Zach Wilson had enough in his locker worth taking a chance on, so it’s vital he makes a better go of things in a different environment.
As for Jaycee Horn, this will be a stern test of his credentials against Corey Davis, who was picked up by the Jets in free agency after gaining 984 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the Tennessee Titans’ run-first offense in 2020.
Davis is physical, perhaps too much for Donte Jackson. So the task will fall on Horn to shut down the wideout and give his team a boost as they look to start their campaign off on the right foot.
There will also be more than a few nerves where Wilson is concerned. But whether this will hamper his production at Bank of America Stadium remains to be seen.