Colorado football currently has four receivers on NFL training camp rosters who were on the team last season. Other than the Jaguars’ Travis Hunter, the standout has been Carolina Panthers rookie Jimmy Horn Jr.
Horn was a sixth-round pick by the Panthers in the 2025 NFL draft, but after a fantastic offseason, he is looking like a steal of the draft.
Advertisement
With his speed and toughness, Horn is everything a team would want out of a sixth-round receiver. In a recent mock scrimmage at Bank of America Stadium, Horn impressed once again, scoring the first touchdown for the second team offense.
Horn was in motion before the snap and then snuck underneath, and quarterback Andy Dalton found him for an easy walk into the endzone. While it was not a typical go-ball that the speedy Horn should see plenty of this season, it was a play that Colorado ran a ton with Horn. Get him the ball in space and let his open-field ability do the rest.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales has loved what he has seen from the rookie receiver so far.
Advertisement
“I think it’s the energy he plays with,” said Canales to Panthers.com. “He doesn’t quit on routes, he continues after the normal part of the protection he can count on, he continues to find space and play fast, and, it’s a credit to his fitness, but it’s also a credit to just the energy that he puts out there, that you want to throw to him.”
While sixth-round picks are far from guaranteed to make the final 53-man roster, Horn’s performances through the offseason have made it almost a forgone conclusion that he makes Carolina’s final group.
The Panthers and Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns, will have joint practices this week before each team’s first preseason game on Friday, Aug. 8.
Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram.
Advertisement
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Jimmy Horn Jr. shining at Panthers camp with a touchdown grab