The Panthers have agreed to terms with first-round pick Jaycee Horn (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). The South Carolina product will earn $21.1M fully guaranteed on his four-year deal, per the terms of his No. 8 overall slot
As expected, Horn was the first cornerback to come off of the board, beating out the likes of Patrick Surtain and Caleb Farley. The rival Saints also had an eye on him, but they couldn’t swing a deal to get into the top 10.
Many believed that the Panthers would target offensive line help for new quarterback Sam Darnold, but they couldn’t pass up Horn’s potential. The son of former Pro Bowl wideout Joe Horn, the defensive back offers a rare combination of speed and physicality at cornerback.
Horn was on the draft radar ever since his solid 2018 showing. By 2020, he solidified his status as an elite prospect. In his final year with the Buckeyes, Horn nabbed a pair interceptions and notched six passes defended in just seven games (Horn sat out the final stretch of the year after the departure of head coach Will Muschamp).
With Horn taken care of, only 10 of this year’s 32 first-rounders remain unsigned. That includes the top four in this year’s draft — Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Kyle Pitts. Meanwhile, the Panthers have just three stragglers to go.
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