South Carolina football: Jaycee Horn elevates draft stock after Pro Day showing

Jaycee Horn #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Jaycee Horn #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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South Carolina football should have its next 1st round draft pick in Jaycee Horn.

The South Carolina football team held its annual Pro Day last week, allowing seniors and draft eligible juniors to show off their skills to NFL scouts. Those on hand included linebacker Ernest Jones, wideout Shi Smith, and defensive back Israel Mukuamu. One former Gamecock, though, used the Pro Day workout to build on a draft profile that was already at first round status.

Junior cornerback Jaycee Horn posted some insane numbers while working out for NFL brass, recording a 40-yard dash time of 4.39, and posting a vertical jump of 41.5 inches. The showing has Horn as a legitimate contender to be the first defensive back off the board in next month’s draft.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1374791358649675776

Horn will go up against Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II and Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley for the rights to be called CB1, but after outperforming Surtain in the Pro Day, and with Farley having back surgery, Horn continues to see his name creep up the mock draft boards. Originally considered to be selected in the 25-30 pick range, he’s slid up as high as No. 12 in this week’s latest projections.

Horn has been a starter in the South Carolina secondary since the day he stepped foot on campus. A three-year contributor, his tallied 23 pass breakups and a couple of interceptions. He led the SEC in completion percentage allowed in coverage last year, surrendering a reception on just a third of passes thrown his way.

https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1374828618153480192

Should things continue the way they’ve been trending over the last few weeks, Horn will become the third first round selection in the last four seasons.