South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn’s stock on the rise with impressive pro day

Mar 24, 2021, 2:21 PM

Jaycee Horn #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks jumps up for the ball over Chris Pierce #19 of the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at Vanderbilt Stadium on October 10, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

(Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

BY TYLER DRAKE

Cardinals reporter, ArizonaSports.com editor

The Arizona Cardinals have been pegged as a team most likely targeting a cornerback in the 2021 NFL Draft.

So much so that many of the recent mock drafts out there have the No. 16 pick narrowed down to a handful of corners, one of which being South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper has the Cardinals taking Horn in the middle of the first round in his Tuesday mock draft — the third CB off the board.

But the son of former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn made a strong case Wednesday to be the top corner selected come April 29 thanks to his performance at South Carolina’s pro day.

Measuring nearly 6-foot-1 and weighing 205 pounds, Horn kicked things off with a 41.5-inch vertical jump and 133-inch broad jump.

A 41 and a 1/2 vert for South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn pic.twitter.com/MsFTPH7b09

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) March 24, 2021

South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn with an 11’1” broad jump. pic.twitter.com/YUsBThM8oq

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) March 24, 2021

The corner also got in 19 bench press reps.

Adding to his impressive leaping ability was his quickness. Horn posted an unofficial 4.39 in the 40-yard dash. He did not run a second time and opted to forego the short shuttle and three-cone drills.

I’ve looked at 3 different clocks and all three had 4.39 for Jaycee Horn. He’s not running again. Obviously. pic.twitter.com/nL3xMtNSny

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) March 24, 2021

Horn’s pro day has quickly put him in discussions as the top cornerback in the draft. Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II has been regarded by many as the No. 1 corner in the 2021 class.

Surtain was the first cornerback taken in Kiper’s latest mock draft, going No. 10 to the Dallas Cowboys. The Crimson Tide CB was followed by Caleb Farley at No. 12 to the San Francisco 49ers.

But after both Surtain’s and Horn’s pro days — Farley decided against taking part in his school’s pro day — the distance between one another appears to be awfully thin.