NY Jets: Jaycee Horn is a best-case scenario at pick 23

If the NY Jets are able to draft Jaycee Horn with the No. 23 selection, it would be the steal of the 2021 NFL Draft.

If the last name Horn sounds familiar, it should. Jaycee’s dad, Joe Horn, played 163 games in the NFL as a wide receiver. Despite having 8,744 receiving yards and scoring 58 career touchdowns, he’s probably most remembered for his cell-phone celebration on Sunday Night Football in 2003.

Don’t expect Jaycee Horn to replicate his father’s celebration anytime soon. The 21-year-old is a cornerback, so it’s much harder to pull off a stunt like his dad did when he’s busy preventing touchdowns, instead of scoring them.

However, if there was a world where he scored a pick-six and replicated the cell phone celebration, it would certainly break the internet.

Similar to his father, Horn is an unbelievable athlete and is a sure-fire first-rounder. Based on the needs in New York right now, the Jets would love to add a player like Horn to their roster.

Jaycee Horn is the best-case scenario for the NY Jets at No. 23

Everyone knows that the Jets are going to draft a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick, so their draft really starts at No. 23. With that selection, the team can go a ton of different routes.

Whether it’s a wide receiver, running back, offensive lineman, edge rusher, or cornerback, the team has plenty of options, but it’ll depend on who’s still available.

Personally, it would be silly to spend a first-rounder on a running back or wide receiver, especially when there’s a ton of skill to be found later in the draft. Instead, they should focus on an edge rusher, offensive lineman, or cornerback.

Horn is the clear top prospect at cornerback, so if he’s available, the Jets need to draft him.

As a member of South Carolina, Horn faced a tough SEC wide-receiver group every time he stepped on the field, and he still played very well. Although he opted out for the final three games of the season, Horn’s contributions were great in the 10 games he did play.

During the 2020 season, Horn had 16 tackles, two interceptions, and was a leader for the Gamecocks. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Horn has tremendous size for his position and uses it well. He’s proven to be very aggressive in coverage, disrupting many passes thrown his way.

Joe Marino of The Draft Network noted that he thinks Horn will be a starting NFL cornerback and said this about him in his draft profile.

“After primarily playing in the slot in 2018, Horn played out wide in 2019 and 2020 where he projects best in the NFL. Horn has a long and stocky frame that is built for competing with X-receivers in the NFL. His size, length, and physicality show up in coverage where he is highly disruptive in press and ultra competitive at the catch point.”

Based on that profile, there will definitely be a long list of teams looking to draft Horn. At the time of writing, he’s projected to go anywhere between No. 8 and No. 25.

If he’s still available for the Jets with the No. 23 selection, they need to draft him. Not only would he be one of the best players available at their pick, but he fits a positional need that they need to upgrade.

The NFL Draft is always full of surprises so although it looks unlikely that Horn will be available for the Jets, he’s the best-case scenario pick for them if he falls.