Horn Plans to Bring Swagger, Tenacity to Carolina

Physical play and celebrations are just a few qualities that Panthers fans could see from new cornerback Jaycee Horn.

Jaycee Horn and his South Carolina teammate Israel Mukuamu made a name for themselves by locking up wide receivers, giving way to a celebration that resembles strapping in a seatbelt. Horn said he plans to show that to Carolina fans plenty of his NFL career.

Horn, the Panthers’ No. 8 selection in the 2021 NFL Draft Thursday night, met with Panthers media Friday afternoon and said he’s excited to “get to work” and work to become next Carolina’s lockdown cornerback.

The 21-year-old long-armed cornerback said things like celebrations, trash talk and physical play have always been apart of his game. It was a necessity growing up, he said.

“It just goes back to my dad and how he raised me,” Horn said, speaking about his father and former NFL receiver Joe Horn. “The little league team I played on, we did a lot of hitting, a lot of competing. Growing up in Atlanta, especially as Joe Horn’s son, you've got to have some type of dog, because someone’s always at your neck.”

He’ll need that mentality when going up against the top tier receivers in the NFC South.

“The division has a lot of great receivers, big guys. I matchup well with big receivers,” he said. “Just having the opportunity to go compete against guys like Juilio Jones, Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, Mike Thomas, it’s a blessing. I’m excited, and I’m ready.”

That group will now also include Kyle Pitts, who was drafted No. 4 overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Pitts and Horn got to know each other during their recruiting stages and later played against each other in college. Pitts also happens to have the same agent as Horn and the two worked out together while preparing for their Pro Days. They even shared a phone call, part of which circulated on social media Thursday night.

“We’ve got a good relationship, and we’re friends. We talk a lot of trash. He called me and told me, ‘I hope you’re ready.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna lock that up,’” he said. “Friendly competition. I can’t wait to compete against him.”

Though those receivers come with big names and bigger statistics, Horn said he’s always approached covering a team’s top player the same way — by focusing on himself.

“I don’t treat any receiver different; I don’t prepare any more or any less (for a particular receiver). - watches a lot of film, focuses on route recognition and preparing on the practice field,” he said. “I just try to be at my best every week.”

Much has been said about Horn’s swagger and physical style of play as well as his upbringing as an NFL legacy. Those questions again dominated Horn’s media session Friday.

The rookie corner said his dad taught him to stay balanced and his mom taught him to stay focused.

Though he said it’s “really important” to continue the Horn legacy, he said he wants to do it on his own merit.

“I’ve got to go out there and make a name for myself,” he said. “My dad already did what he had to do in the league, he played a long, good career. I want to come behind him and do the same thing.”

Asked to describe his play in one word, Horn chose “tenacious.” And he said he plans to show that to Carolina fans from day one.

“They’re going to get a guy who’s going to go out there and play with passion,” he said, “and give his all to Panther nation.”