Jimmy Horn Jr., one of the smaller receivers on the Carolina Panthers roster, made an impression during Tuesday’s practice in Charlotte. Despite his size—standing at 5-foot-8 and weighing 174 pounds—Horn demonstrated resilience after taking a hard hit.
During an unpadded session, Horn caught a pass from quarterback Andy Dalton and collided mid-air with safety Nick Scott. After hitting the ground, Horn quickly got up and signaled for a first down.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales commented on Horn’s approach to the game: “Just constant energy, courage, it’s his play-style,” Canales replied when asked what stood out in such plays. “It showed up on film last year. He’s a tough guy, and he’s battling in the run game to block, to stay connected throughout the whole play, which was kind of a challenge for me to those guys. It’s like, this matters. This is who we’re going to be. We’re a running team first and foremost. And so we need all of you to be involved in that. That’s your contribution to what we’re doing.
“And, he takes that seriously. He studies, he’s here early, he’s here late. He’s working on stuff that he missed. He’s asking questions. He’s very curious by nature, so all the things that to me point toward being a pro.”
Horn’s speed—he ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the combine—is seen as important for his role on the team, but coaches also value his toughness as part of their strategy focused on physical play.
