Training camp is a time for players to step up and turn up the heat. The Carolina Panthers have preached the importance of competition, so this is the exact scenario that head coach Dave Canales will be demanding.
And there is one unfancied rookie who looks more than capable of making his veteran teammates sweat in the training camp pressure cooker.
The Panthers are expecting some decent returns from their rookie class. Dan Morgan spent his picks wisely, finding immediate difference-makers in the early rounds and intriguing development projects who could become influential figures over time.
Jimmy Horn Jr. could shake up Carolina Panthers' wide receiver dynamic at training camp
Jimmy Horn Jr. lies somewhere in between. The dynamic wide receiver might have been Carolina's final selection in the draft as a sixth-round selection, but he's not acting like it. The first-year pro is aiming to make an instant impression, and he wasted no time in making his presence felt over early offseason workouts.
Horn's explosiveness, elusiveness, and confidence exuded from the wideout. It's early days, but the Panthers were impressed. That's a strong foundation from which to build, so it'll be interesting to see if he can build on this positivity when training camp rolls around.
One of the big things that attracted the Panthers to Horn was competitiveness. He might be small in stature, but he's got the heart of a lion and never backs down from a challenge. That came across instantly, which raises the stakes for other wideouts further down the pecking order looking for a spot.
Hunter Renfrow, David Moore, and others cannot put a foot wrong. There's no chance of Horn not making the team. However, he'll want to make his way up the depth chart and into a key rotational position behind the likes of Tetairoa McMillan, Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker.
Piling on the pressure early is crucial. And if it takes Horn a little longer, he'll be able to carve out a role for himself alongside fellow rookie Trevor Etienne in the kick return game thanks to his on-field vision and ability to exploit the smallest gaps.
The former Colorado standout is rapidly becoming a fan favorite without playing a competitive down. Horn hasn't come to make up the numbers. He's hungry and has a big chip on his shoulder. And he won't be going down without a fight.
At the very least, Horn will make everyone start nervously looking over their shoulders. This urgency should make everyone better, which is exactly what the Panthers had in mind when they made their wide receiver unit so crowded.