Joe Haden had to recently say goodbye to his partner in crime as Steven Nelson was recently cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers. It looks like the Steelers had to choose between Steven Nelson and Joe Haden in regards to getting more cap room. The Steelers felt Joe Haden had more upside and allowed Steven Nelson to look for trade on the open market. Unfortunately, Steven Nelson and the Steelers could not find a suitor to make a trade.
The Steelers could be in the market for a new cornerback in the 2021 NFL draft. Joe Haden has now endorsed South Carolina's, CB Jaycee Horn. Haden tweeted out today Horn's tape matches his numbers and called him a baller. The Steelers have been meeting with quite a few top corners before going into the 2021 NFL draft. They did meet with Jaycee Horn, but a few draft analysts feel he could be the best CB in the 2021 NFL draft.
Pro Football Network feels Jaycee Horn could be the first CB off of the board in the 2021 NFL draft. Horn has the size, athleticism, and toughness to play at an elite level in the cornerback position. He loves to play tough, physical football. Just ask any wide receiver who went up against him in college. He plays exceptionally well against crossing patterns and loves to play against the run. He would easily fill in Steven Nelson's position and pair up exceptionally well with Joe Haden. The problem is he may not make it to the Steelers pick.
"Before the 2020 season, it was possible that Jaycee Horn would slip out of the first round in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, his stellar junior campaign has almost entirely expunged that possibility. The 2021 cornerback class lacks inspiring depth, and even at the top, some teams might not be as high on Caleb Farley, who took the 2020 season off and also has an injury history."
"Horn is one of the most complete cornerback prospects in the 2021 class, and he also brings a number of traits to an uncommonly high degree, most notably, his physicality. Horn is a player who can be generally scheme-diverse and versatile at the cornerback position. His athletic upside-only solidifies his status as a first-round pick. It’s very unlikely that he falls outside the Top 32 picks, and it’s almost more likely that he goes within the first half of Round 1."
"Teams looking for a cornerback in Round 1 would be unwise not to consider Horn. Patrick Surtain II might be the more popular pick as CB1, but Horn has a case for that title as well. Nevertheless, relegating Horn’s range to mid-to-late Round 1, teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, and Indianapolis Colts present good matches. However, a team like Denver or Dallas could snag him if they value him highly enough."
"Lockdown cornerbacks are in short supply, and in general, even the term itself is over-used. But Jaycee Horn, while not yet at that level, has some of the defining traits of a lockdown cornerback. He’s athletic, he’s lengthy, and he’s incredibly proactive when it comes to disrupting the pass catcher and the pass itself."
Comments