Why Panthers’ Rejzohn Wright says Jaycee Horn played a role in him signing with Carolina
Panthers rookie Rejzohn Wright is no stranger to high-stakes drama.
The 22-year-old cornerback was featured on the Netflix documentary series “Last Chance U” during his time at Laney College, and he became a fan-favorite subject in the show’s fifth season. After standing out on the series and on the field at the junior college in Oakland, California, Wright joined his brother, Nahshon, at Oregon State in 2020.
Despite putting together a strong three-year tenure with the Beavers, which included four interceptions and 17 pass breakups, Wright went undrafted in April. He’s now battling for a coveted 53-man roster spot in Carolina without a draft pedigree to support his pursuit.
Just like in his reality show days, he’s once again in “prove-yourself” mode.
“I didn’t really expect to go undrafted,” Wright said Tuesday. “I had sports hernia on both sides, top and bottom, so I think that’s what kind of led me to going undrafted.”
Wright chose to sign with the Panthers, at least partially, because of his established relationship with fellow cornerback Jaycee Horn. The defensive backs met roughly two years ago through Wright’s brother, Nahshon — a 2021 third-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys — who plays with Horn’s former South Carolina teammate, Israel Mukuamu.
Since their initial meeting, Wright and Horn have grown close, and now they’re teammates.
“He actually factored into making the decision to come here,” Wright said about Horn. “Having him around is great.”
Wright was also familiar with Panthers safeties coach Bert Watts, who recruited Wright during his playing days in high school and junior college. While Wright said Watts didn’t factor into his decision to sign with Carolina, he does appreciate having an established relationship with the secondary coach. He’s also enjoyed learning from cornerbacks coach Jonathan Cooley and assistant defensive backs coach DeAngelo Hall.
“Coach Cooley is a great coach,” Wright said. “D-Hall with his insight — he’s a great coach as well.”
The 6-foot-2, 193-pound cornerback was sidelined for the first two weeks of organized team activities as he recovered from hernia surgery. Wright said he didn’t undergo the procedure until roughly six weeks before the draft because he didn’t discover the issue until after the Senior Bowl in January.
“Basically, during the season, I thought I had a hip flexor issue,” Wright said. “Ended up going down to Senior Bowl after the season, and while I was at the Senior Bowl, my pelvis area kind of flared up on me. I figured it was my hip flexor. Left the Senior Bowl, then I went to go get X-rayed and (have) MRIs, and figured out I have a sport turning on both sides.”
That injury adversity hasn’t fazed Wright as he prepares for a major training camp battle this summer. He’s seen the support on social media from “Last Chance U” fans, and he is confident in his ability on the field.
“The Netflix series was a blessing. . . . In terms of just football, it did put me in a great position to be in the spotlight,” Wright said. “But in terms of the fans and having some buzz behind my name, I think it’s just my style of play. I play with a lot of energy, a lot of passion. So hopefully during training camp, I can show you guys what I can do.”
Wright — a Union City, California, native — doesn’t plan to take much time off during the break between mandatory minicamp and training camp. He has his sights set on his training regimen, and he already has plans to work out with Horn — the Panthers’ top corner — during his time away from the facility.
“I’m actually going to be training down in Georgia for two weeks,” Wright said. “I’m going to go home for a week, and then I’ll be with Jaycee down in Atlanta for the next few weeks until camp.”
After getting some limited reps during the past two weeks, Wright is ready to get back into his groove on the practice field and show his worth to the Panthers. While he’s working his way back to form on a physical level, his mind hasn’t wavered throughout his first NFL summer.
Wright is ready to show he’s more than just a former reality show star during training camp.
“They’re going to get somebody that’s locked in mentally,” Wright said. “I know I won’t get every rep. I’m going to be mentally locked in (and) just physically ready to go and play and compete at the highest levels.”
This story was originally published June 15, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
