Jaycee Horn had this message for South Carolina fans as his NFL career begins
Former South Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn is off to the NFL.
Horn, the son of former four-time Pro Bowler Joe Horn, was taken by the Carolina Panthers with the No. 8 pick in the first round of Thursday’s NFL Draft.
“Everything (South Carolina) told me throughout recruiting came true besides winning,” Horn told The State this week. “Everything else though came true and, really, South Carolina was just a really great learning experience for me. It helped me to grow up, (taught me) how to do a lot of stuff on my own.
“So if I could go back, I’d make the same decision.”
Horn came to South Carolina as one of eight four-star recruits in Will Muschamp’s 2018 signing class. He was initially committed to Tennessee but flipped to South Carolina after Butch Jones was fired in Knoxville.
During his time in Columbia, Horn earned second team All-Southeastern Conference honors from the league coaches.
He started 29 games during his three years at South Carolina and notched 101 tackles, two interceptions and 23 passes defended. Horn ranked No. 1 among all SEC cornerbacks in 2020 with a 33.3% completion percentage when targeted.
His 79.6 Pro Football Focus coverage grade on a 100-point scale through seven weeks last season was also best among league corners through seven weeks.
Horn opted out of the 2020 campaign in the wake of Muschamp’s firing in order to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.
South Carolina Gamecocks taken in the first round of the NFL Draft:
2021: Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina Panthers, 8
2020: Javon Kinlaw, DT, San Francisco 49ers, 14
2018: Hayden Hurst, TE, Baltimore Ravens, 25
2014: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, Houston Texans, 1
2012: Stephon Gilmore, CB, Buffalo Bills, 10
2012: Melvin Ingram, DE, San Diego Chargers, 18
2006: Johnathan Joseph, CB, Cincinnati Bengals 24
2005: Troy Williamson, WR, Minnesota Vikings, 7
2004: Dunta Robinson, DB, Houston Texans, 10
2000: John Abraham, LB, New York Jets, 13
1993: Ernest Dye, OT, Phoenix Cardinals, 18
1988: Sterling Sharpe, WR, Green Bay Packers, 7
1981: George Rogers, RB, New Orleans Saints, 1
1981: Willie Scott, TE, Kansas City Chiefs, 14
1979: Rick Sanford, DB, New England Patriots, 25
This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 9:54 PM.
