Horn Selected by Carolina in the First Round of the 2021 NFL Draft

University of South Carolina junior cornerback Jaycee Horn was selected by the Carolina Panthers with the eighth pick in the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. He was the first defensive player taken in the 2021 Draft.
 
Horn became the 15th Gamecock to be taken in the first round of the draft and the 10th since 2000. He is the fifth-highest Gamecock selected behind George Rogers (1), Jadeveon Clowney (1), Sterling Sharpe (7) and Troy Williamson (7).
 
At South Carolina’s Pro Day, the Alpharetta, Ga. product measured in at six feet and three-quarters inches and 205 pounds. He posted a 41 1/2-inch vertical leap, broad jumped 11-1 and bench pressed 225 pounds 19 times while running a 4.37 hand-held timed 40-yard dash.
 
With Horn’s selection, the Gamecocks have produced a selection in 19 of the last 20 NFL Drafts. He is also the 30th Gamecock defensive back selected in the NFL Draft and the 15th since 2002.
 
Here is a list of Gamecock selected in the first round of the NFL Draft:
 
Year     Player                          POS                 Team                           Pick
2021    Jaycee Horn                CB                    Carolina Panthers       8
2020    Javon Kinlaw               DT                    San Francisco 49ers    14
2018    Hayden Hurst              TE                    Baltimore Ravens       25
2014    Jadeveon Clowney      DE                    Houston Texans          1
2012    Stephon Gilmore        CB                    Buffalo Bills                10
2012    Melvin Ingram            DE                    San Diego Chargers     18
2006    Johnathan Joseph       CB                    Cincinnati Bengals      24
2005    Troy Williamson         WR                  Minnesota Vikings      7
2004    Dunta Robinson          DB                   Houston Texans          10
2000    John Abraham            LB                    New York Jets             13
1993    Ernest Dye                   OT                   Phoenix Cardinals       18
1988    Sterling Sharpe           WR                  Green Bay Packers      7
1981    George Rogers            RB                   New Orleans Saints    1
1981    Willie Scott                 TE                    Kansas City Chiefs       14
1979    Rick Sanford                DB                   New England Patriots 25
 
Here is Horn’s bio:
 
2020                                                                                                                         
Junior who earned second-team All-SEC honors from the league’s coaches and third-team honors from Pro Football Focus… started each of the first seven games at cornerback… credited with 16 tackles… led the team with eight passes defended, including six pass breakups and a pair of interceptions… averaged 1.14 passes defended per game, second in the SEC… collected a season-high five tackles at Florida… had the best game of his career in the win over Auburn… credited with three tackles, two interceptions and four pass breakups, earning Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and SEC Defensive Player of the Week accolades… opted out of the season’s final three games following the dismissal of head coach Will Muschamp… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll… credited with 101 career tackles, 23 pass breakups and two interceptions… invited to the NFL Combine.
 
2019                                                                                                                         
Sophomore cornerback who started all 12 games… collected 40 tackles with a team-high nine pass breakups and two forced fumbles… had five tackles, two forced fumbles, a sack and a pass breakup in season-opener vs. North Carolina… matched his career high with seven tackles in the upset win at Georgia… had a pair of pass breakups against both Alabama and Kentucky… selected by the coaches as the Rex Enright Defensive Player of the Spring… named to the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll.
 
2018                                                                                                                         
True freshman defensive back who played in 11 contests making 10 starts… recognized on the 247Sports midseason true freshman All-America team and was an SEC All-Freshman selection by the league’s coaches… shared the Most Productive Player Award for the defense with T.J. Brunson… became just the seventh true freshman to start in the season opener for Carolina since the 2009 season… had 45 tackles with 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and eight pass breakups, second on the squad… tied for the SEC lead among freshmen with 4.0 tackles for loss, tied for second with 2.0 sacks, third in passes defended with eight, and third with 4.1 tackles per game… named the SEC Freshman of the Week for his efforts in the win over Mizzou when he was credited with four pass breakups… also logged three tackles, including a key diving trip, forcing Damari Crockett to step out of bounds instead of taking it in for a TD, a drive in which the Tigers failed to score… led the secondary with a season-best seven tackles against Texas A&M… missed the final two regular season games with an ankle injury… returned for the Belk Bowl where he recorded six tackles including a sack against Virginia… named to the SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll.
 
HIGH SCHOOL                                                                                                         
Graduated from Alpharetta (Ga.) High in 2018… cornerback who helped the Raiders win 11 games as a senior, making it to the third round of the Georgia AAAAAA playoffs… was a first-team all-state selection by the Georgia Sports Writers Association… earned second-team All-USA Georgia football team accolades as selected by USA TODAY… logged 44 tackles, including 38 solo stops, and led the Raiders with five INTs and 12 pass breakups… averaged 12.2 yards on 13 punt returns… selected as an Under Armour All-American and attended The Opening Finals camp… coached by Jacob Nichols… listed as the No. 22 cornerback prospect in the country, and 247’s national composite rankings put him as the No. 206 overall recruit… Rivals ranks him as the 23rd-best player in Georgia, the 20th-best cornerback in the country and No. 189 overall… rated No. 145 on the ESPN300 list and No. 334 on the PrepStar 350 list.
 
PERSONAL                                                                                                               
Jaycee Horn was born Nov. 26, 1999… is a sport and entertainment management major… is the son of former NFL wide receiver Joe Horn.