Jimmy Horn Jr. Building Case as Panthers’ Surprise Rookie Playmaker

The Carolina Panthers might have landed a late-round gem in Jimmy Horn Jr., the former Colorado wide receiver who helped usher the Buffaloes into the Big 12 spotlight, following the program’s transition to the conference in 2024. Selected in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the 5-foot-8, 174-pound speedster has turned heads at training camp.

Horn established himself as one of college football’s top deep threats last season at Colorado, averaging 11.9 yards per catch under head coach Deion Sanders. Before his two seasons in Boulder, Horn played at USF in 2021 and 2022, totaling 959 receiving yards and recording a career-long 90-yard touchdown as a sophomore.

In Carolina, Horn joins fellow rookie Tetairoa McMillan, a first-round pick, along with Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette in a promising receiving corps. The Panthers are coming off a 5-12 campaign in 2024 but saw progress late in the year, led by quarterback Bryce Young, who ended the season on a high note with seven touchdowns and zero interceptions in his final three games.

Horn could fill a critical role as Young’s downfield option, which was something the Panthers lacked last season, when they failed to produce a single 300-yard passing performance. Fans got an early preview of his potential in Friday’s preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, as Horn caught four passes for 15 yards and saw significant reps in his first taste of NFL action.

The game also featured a reunion with his former Colorado teammate Shedeur Sanders, who led the Browns to a 30-10 victory.

The Panthers will kick off the regular season on Sept. 7, traveling to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.