The Carolina Panthers have shown a real dedication to overhauling the wide receiver room this offseason. And there is one overlooked weapon drawing more buzz than most.
While the ever-reliable Adam Thielen and the exciting second-year duo of Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker are back, there’s some new talent in town. One, in particular, is turning the heads of coaches early at training camp.
The Panthers were commended nationally for navigating the 2025 NFL Draft successfully, but it was their last pick that drew praise and admiration. Carolina picked Jimmy Horn Jr. with the No. 208 overall selection, who was coming off a stellar college career with both South Florida and Colorado.
While questions may be levelled at how Horn's frame and size will hold up at the next level, what turned heads in college was his incredible speed. This is already putting people on notice as training camp gets underway in Charlotte.
The Florida native ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, likely below what many expected from a player who had shown true in-game speed. Mutterings of a lingering hamstring issue may have hindered Horn, but once he arrived for rookie minicamp, the wideout immediately caught the eye.
Dave Canales thrilled with Jimmy Horn Jr.'s energy at Carolina Panthers camp
It seems that early success has translated to training camp. Following Day 2 of practices, head coach Dave Canales spoke to the media and spoke glowingly about Horn Jr and how he applies himself.
Canales said of Horn, “Love the way he plays football. Everything he does is all gas." As a sixth-round rookie likely on the roster bubble, this is a glowing reference from his head coach. And for fans, after watching the team find it almost impossible to take the top of opposing defenses, this will excite them.
Most of the talk in the wide receiver room this offseason has understandably been around Tetairoa McMillan. The former Arizona star was a top 10 pick and one of the best receivers in college football over the last two seasons. This has meant the acquisition of Horn, and what he can bring has gone under the radar.
The Panthers have lacked a true deep threat at wideout in recent memory, but it seems the early signs from Horn are that he can forge a role doing that. After all, his in-game speed reached 21.2 miles per hour last season.
In comparison, Miami Dolphins pass-catcher Tyreek Hill, arguably one of the fastest wide receivers across the league, reached a speed of 22.07 MPH in 2024, putting Horn in good company.
Horn is still a Day 3 pick, so tempering expectations is important early on. But with the glowing praise sent his way by Canales, he has all the assets to make a mark on the Panthers and the NFL.