Colorado wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. is one of many Colorado Buffaloes playmakers that’s entering 2025 NFL Draft.
While he may not be getting the same attention as his counterparts, the tape indicates NFL decision-makers should be paying attention.
Jimmy Horn Jr.’s Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’10
- Weight: 170 pounds
- Position: WR
- School: Colorado
- Current Year: Senior
Horn’s Scouting Report
Jimmy Horn Jr. was born and raised in Sanford, Florida and played high school football at Seminole High School, where he was a two-sport star in track and field and football. Horn was a three-star receiver in high school and had offers from a few SEC programs, but he ended up signing with the University of South Florida.
Horn played his first two college seasons with the Bulls and was highly productive as both a receiver and a kick returner. He garnered First-Team All-AAC honors as a kick returner in his sophomore season and was one of the most electric special-teams players in the country. Horn would end up entering the transfer portal after his sophomore season and eventually elected to play under Deion Sanders at Colorado.
Horn was a part of a highly explosive Buffaloes offense during his final two college campaigns. While his stats won’t blow anyone away, those who watched the games know just how vital he was to Colorado’s offense and that Horn was a big play waiting to happen.
Horn now heads to the NFL and will look to cement himself as one of the top slot receivers in the 2025 draft class.
Strengths
- Explosive athlete with excellent vertical speed to win at the third level.
- Tough and competitive football player who plays bigger than his size.
- Electric with the ball in his hands and has the speed to defeat angles in the open field.
- Good ability to track the ball over his shoulder and outside his frame.
- A very productive kick returner in college and shows good overall vision and instincts to make defenders miss.
- Good overall route runner with good separation quickness.
Weaknesses
- Lacks size and strength to play on the boundary in the NFL.
- Slot-only receiver in college.
- Durability a concern after missing time throughout his senior season with a lower-body injury.
- Doesn’t make contested catches at a consistent level.
- Has never been a high-volume receiver.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Horn enters the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the fastest and most electric receivers in this class. He was one of the stars in Colorado’s explosive offense over the last few seasons, and while he doesn’t carry the same level of notoriety as teammate Travis Hunter, Horn is certainly capable of establishing himself at the next level.
As a prospect, Horn has below-average size and strength but is still an above-average athlete. Horn primarily aligned as a slot receiver in the Buffaloes’ offense and was the team’s primary kickoff returner as well.
Horn displays very good linear speed and is able to win vertically with ease. Defenders find it extremely difficult to stay in pace with Horn after he opens his gate and kicks it into high gear. He’s a big-play threat and a player defensive coordinators need to circle whenever he is on the field. He has the ability to stretch the field from the slot and win downfield, while also flashing above-average ability to track and play the football in the air.
While Horn certainly lacks the size you want in an NFL receiver, Horn’s toughness and competitiveness were clear on his college film. Horn rarely goes down on first contact and consistently fights for extra yards with the ball in his hands. His downfield ability was the biggest key to his success, but Colorado also frequently schemed him easy touches in the form of screens, bubbles and reverses that helped him demonstrate how dynamic he can be with the ball in his hands.
Horn can make defenders miss and has the speed to defeat angles in the open field. This is a player who can have a clear and defined role as a slot receiver with the ability to stretch the field and draw quick, easy touches.
NFL decision-makers will have to weigh Horn’s ability as a playmaker against the fact that he does not meet the threshold for an NFL receiver as it relates to his size and strength. He lacks the ability to make contested catches and allows the defensive back to make plays on the football.
He has very little experience playing on the boundary and will almost certainly profile exclusively as a slot receiver at the next level. Injuries have been a concern as well, and Horn must prove he can remain healthy if a team is going to invest a draft pick in him.
Overall, Horn is not to be mistaken for a player capable of serving as a No. 1 or even No. 2 option in an NFL offense. However, Horn could certainly thrive as a No. 3/slot receiver with the ability to win at all three levels of the field and contribute on special teams.
It’s likely Horn hears his name called early on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he ultimately outplays his draft slotting.