Panthers News: Jaycee Horn, Johnny Hekker, Sam Franklin and Bryce Young
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers CB Jaycee Horn ranked
Jaycee Horn's importance to the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and beyond cannot be understated. The cornerback represents a true shutdown presence capable of locking down one side of the field, so keeping him fresh and firing on all cylinders is of paramount importance.
The former first-round selection is currently dealing with another injury that is expected to be fully healed before Carolina's training camp. While this did nothing to quash the player's health concerns, his latest complication came at a time when erring on the side of caution is preferred.
When placing Horn among his league counterparts, Doug Farrar from USA Today Sports ranked the South Carolina product at No. 5. This was ahead of some prestigious names such as Jalen Ramsey and Patrick Surtain II, who was taken one spot after the Panthers' choice during the 2021 NFL Draft.
"At 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, with a 77th percentile wingspan and a 93rd percentile arm length, [Jaycee] Horn would seem to be a natural in press man coverage. The interesting thing about his 2022 tape, therefore, is how well he played in soft and off coverage, which he did most of the time, and certainly on most of the plays he prevented. Horn’s overall numbers were great — 28 catches allowed on 47 targets for 310 yards, 83 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, three interceptions, three pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 52.6 — but when you watch his 2022 tape, it’s really his growth and development in all schemes and concepts that stood out — and made him one of the NFL’s best overall cornerbacks."
- Doug Farrar, USA Today Sports
Hopefully, Horn can stay fit for a full 17-game slate and emerge further in 2023. Especially considering the questions surrounding others in the cornerback room currently.