Dec 15, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn (8) runs on to the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Analyst surprises with pick for Panthers’ Defensive Player of the Year candidate

Originally posted on Carolina Panthers on SI
By Russell Baxter | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 8:40 AM ET

Recently, Jacob Infante of Pro Football Sports Network chose one individual on each club who was the team’s top choice for NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2025. Now he’s returned the favor when it comes to the other side of the football.

The choices are not that surprising, and the list includes reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II of the Denver Broncos. There are some other past winners when it comes to Infante’s choices, including Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt (2021), San Francisco’s Nick Bosa (2022), and Cleveland’s Myles Garrett (2023).

It couldn’t have been easy to come up with a candidate for a team that allowed the most total yards and rushing yards in the league this past season. The Carolina Panthers also set a new league mark for points allowed (534) in a single season. Still, Infante had to come up with one name for each franchise. His selection for Dave Canales’s club was a four-year pro who’s coming off his best season to date.

“After struggles with injuries early in his career,” said Infante, “Jaycee Horn finally put it all together in Year 4 of his tenure with the Carolina Panthers. Horn was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2024, tallying 13 pass deflections and an interception in coverage. He’ll need to force more turnovers to enter Defensive Player of the Year status, but he’s now among the top cornerbacks in the game, regardless.”

Horn played in a career-best 15 games in 2024, and totaled a personal-high 68 tackles. He also came up with a pair of sacks. Nonetheless, he was Pro Football Focus’ 56th-ranked cornerback in 2024. The feeling here is that the 25-year-old defender would have to make a major leap this upcoming season in many aspects to make a real run at the award.

This article first appeared on Carolina Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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