Why Jaycee Horn Could be Dan Quinn’s Preferred 1st-round CB

With the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft the Dallas Cowboys select… Jaycee Horn, Cornerback, South Carolina.

Believe it or not, but Jaycee Horn firmly cemented himself as one of the top cornerback prospects in the 2021 draft class. Not to be outdone by Patrick Surtain II’s impressive Pro Day performance, Horn went all “anything you can do I can do better” yesterday at his own. The race to be the CB1 this year is heating up.

The CB1 race might be heating up. pic.twitter.com/jg97YdCyqo
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 24, 2021

This is obviously great news for the Dallas Cowboys who are leaving no stone unturned in their search for another starting caliber CB to pair with last years second-round pick Trevon Diggs. Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II could very well be their top targets, especially after the recent news Caleb Farley will be undergoing surgery to relieve some back pain.

With Caleb Farley now likely to big of a risk to draft in the Top 10 the debate now becomes who would the Dallas Cowboys prefer between Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II? There’s really no wrong answer because both are close to perfect fits in Dan Quinn’s scheme, however, Dallas’ new defensive coordinator could very well like one over the other just a little more.

Go cover Kyle Pitts in Y-ISO..
Go cover Elijah Moore in Slot..
Go cover Devonta Smith w/no help..

...There are lots of cornerbacks in CFB, make sure you note what they're being asked to do! They aren't all given the same responsibility! @jayceehorn_10 pic.twitter.com/I0xHfEQAC4
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) March 22, 2021

I could be completely off base here, but I think Dan Quinn could prefer Jaycee Horn over Patrick Surtain II by a smidgen. The former Crimson Tide CB primary aligned on the left during his time at Alabama, where as Horn played nearly every CB position from multiple alignments shadowing opposing offenses top target in the passing game. That kind of versatility is extremely appealing.

Dan Quinn could very well view that versatility as a chess piece type of weapon he can deploy in a multitude of ways in his heavy Cover 1-3 defensive scheme. And believe it or not, but he could have a little more inside information about the former Gamecock due to his friendship with Will Muschamp, one of his best friends and Jaycee’s former head coach at Florida.

Any inside information Dan Quinn can get out of his best friend could prove to be invaluable when final decisions need to be made. Both players are no doubt worthy of the 10th overall pick in the first-round this year, but I truly believe Jaycee Horn brings a little bit more to the table then what Patrick Surtain II does.

The versatility, physicality, and swagger Jaycee Horn brings to the position sets him apart from any other CB prospect in this year’s draft class. It’s that and the connection to Dan Quinn in a roundabout way through Will Muschamp that has turned him into my favorite defensive player for the Dallas Cowboys.

There’s a lot of grasping at straws here on my part, but I think all of this could make him a favorite of Dan Quinn’s as well. Because of that, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he’s Dallas’ first-round selection with the 10th overall pick. Now all we have to do is wait and see if this is indeed what happens.