Jaycee Horn is the ‘best corner in the draft.’ Panthers fans, NFL players react to pick

By Alex Zietlow

Updated April 29, 2021 11:05 PM

Jaycee Horn is staying close to his Carolina home — and he’s receiving a pretty warm welcome.

The decorated cornerback won’t have to travel far from his University of South Carolina stomping grounds to realize his NFL dreams. With the Carolina Panthers’ pick at No. 8, Horn is the first cornerback off the 2021 draft board.

Here’s what some fans, media sites and other NFL players are saying about Horn in the immediate aftermath of his selection.

People react to Jaycee Horn selection

Notable performances by Panthers’ new CB Jaycee Horn

Jaylen Waddle
1/1, 12 yards

Jerry Jeudy
1/1, 7 yards

Justyn Ross
2/4, 14 yards

Kyle Pitts
1/3, 20 yards

Seth Williams
1/9, 44 yards, 2 INTs

Elijah Moore
7/10, 47 yards (2 games)

pic.twitter.com/l9kIFrWntt
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 30, 2021

CB1!! Yessuhh congrats @jayceehorn_10
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) April 30, 2021

The fact that the Chicago Bears get a Mulligan for an epic dropping of the ball in 2017, while Carolina watched that quarterback drift right by down the river, is something that a lot of fans will and should be disappointed about.

Horn is also a great player. Both can be true.
— John Ellis (@OnePantherPlace) April 30, 2021

First shocker: Patrick Surtain will be a little better than Jaycee Horn. Panthers should've taken Justin Fields, who will be much better than Darnold.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 30, 2021

Could the Panthers have traded back and still gotten cornerback Jaycee Horn? According to ESPN's Draft Day Predictor there was an 87% chance Horn was still going to be available at pick No. 11 and 71% chance he'd be there at pick No. 12. But since the... https://t.co/tkKgNyE5RF
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) April 30, 2021

The #Panthers take the top CB on their board, selecting South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn at No. 8. Matt Rhule has now made eight picks since arriving in Carolina and all eight have been on defense.
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) April 30, 2021

Jaycee Horn like that
— Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) April 30, 2021

Y’all gone start listening to me one day!!! 1st defensive player off the board!!! @jayceehorn_10 love ya bro!!!
— Oliver Davis II (@I_Am_OD3) April 30, 2021

Congrats to @jayceehorn_10 !!

He said he was the best Corner in the Draft and he’s right

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him since I got here ....So thankful for how willing he’s been to help us bring future 1st Round Draft picks to @GamecockFB https://t.co/kl2d8jkwQb
— Shane Beamer (@CoachSBeamer) April 30, 2021

Feeling old. I covered Joe Horn when he was a WR for the #Chiefs. Now his son, Jaycee Horn, just got drafted by the Panthers. Life comes at you pretty fast: pic.twitter.com/1TPJ8HY3sC
— Brad Porter (@bradkporter) April 30, 2021

IMO it’s a great pick. @jayceehorn_10 is a lockdown CB who understands route concepts & isn’t afraid to be physical. His stats made people sleep on him because teams didn’t wanna throw his way. But when you watch the tape (especially vs Auburn) it speaks for itself. He’s a dawg https://t.co/9bVtXBCg1o
— Mike Uva (@Mike_Uva) April 30, 2021

Tell ‘em, @jayceehorn_10! pic.twitter.com/IgP0WXdb0C
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) April 30, 2021

Kyle Pitts on Jaycee Horn.

Those two will be locking horns a little bit for a few more years.

pic.twitter.com/0nveeor85m
— John Ellis (@OnePantherPlace) April 30, 2021

Let’s go!!!! @jayceehorn_10
— Shaq Thompson (@ShaqThompson_7) April 30, 2021

GM Scott Fitterer and head coach Matt Rhule speak about Jaycee Horn https://t.co/2qaWoawqhn
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 30, 2021

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A post shared by Carolina Panthers (@panthers)

Congrats @jayceehorn_10!!!!
— Will Muschamp (@CoachWMuschamp) April 30, 2021

Fans react to Horn arrival

I’m really happy to have @jayceehorn_10 in Carolina!

He was the true CB1. We are playing man coverage in 2021!

Just a short ride to Charlotte!
— Panthers CuŁture (@PanthersCulture) April 30, 2021

The love in this shows me all I need to see.... @smccloverjr have @Fire_Burns99 call him and tell him get ready to work with the best DE in the league let’s go!!!!! https://t.co/ytc1b69B48
— Lauryn ️ (@LaurynnnG) April 30, 2021

Tell ‘em, @jayceehorn_10! pic.twitter.com/IgP0WXdb0C
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) April 30, 2021

Boo this unmercifully. Horrible pick, doesn’t address anything. Surtain is better if you have to go corner. Needed a lineman. Just the best. https://t.co/bki1JWv9lE
— Big Dog. (@griffpr) April 30, 2021

As a Panthers fan love the pick, but as a Bama fan I'm like: How you don't pick Patrick Surtain II? Welcome, @jayceehorn_10 to #PantherNation! #KeepPounding https://t.co/PDRqb5MW19
— Whitney Taylor (@wmtaylor93) April 30, 2021

Ready to get my @Panthers @jayceehorn_10 jersey!!
— Cathy (@chattycathy9) April 30, 2021

So proud of you Jaycee make SC proud https://t.co/j6zWIiDV7Y
— Steph best PG (@StephCurryisMVP) April 30, 2021

Justin Fields, Slater, Devonta Smith

This franchise is pushing me over. I’m so upset. I turned the TV off so fast. Ugh. https://t.co/h4zmoNbnra
— McClain (@McclainBaxley) April 30, 2021

..... not right now, we have a Championship to win.

Welcome to Carolina https://t.co/jGNPLkKSK4
— Bradlee Mikeska (@BradMLee) April 30, 2021

If y'all want to know, I'm not happy
— JT (@Jaberuski) April 30, 2021

OK, Panther fans, when the clock strikes midnight tonight and NFL Draft Round 1 is over, will the Carolina Panthers have actually ended up with:
— Scott Fowler (@scott_fowler) April 29, 2021

This story will be updated.

This story was originally published April 29, 2021 at 9:48 PM.

Alex Zietlow

The Herald

Alex Zietlow writes about sports and the ways in which they intersect with life in York, Chester and Lancaster counties for The Herald, where he has been an editor and reporter since August 2019. Zietlow has won nine S.C. Press Association awards in his career, including First Place finishes in Feature Writing, Sports Enterprise Writing and Education Beat Reporting. He also received two Top-10 awards in the 2021 APSE writing contest and was nominated for the 2022 U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Rising Star award for his coverage of the Winthrop men’s basketball team.

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