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Panthers' potential Day 3 gem ranked among NFL's top-5 underrated rookies

The Carolina Panthers have an ace up their sleeve from this year's NFL Draft.
Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. stretches before the game against the Baylor Bears.
Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. stretches before the game against the Baylor Bears. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

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The Carolina Panthers are hoping to get the most out of one of their Day 3 picks in this year's NFL Draft.

Jimmy Horn Jr. was drafted in the sixth round by the Panthers out of Colorado, and he was the second receiver taken by Carolina in the draft after Tetairoa McMillan was chosen with the No. 8 overall pick.

Bleacher Report writer Damian Parson named Horn as one of five underrated rookie receivers from this year's class.

Colorado Buffalos wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium
Colorado Buffalos wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"The 22-year-old joins a revamped wide receiver room with bigger, stronger playmakers. He brings a totally different skill set to the Panthers' offense as a dynamic and explosive playmaker who excels at getting the ball in space," Parson wrote of Horn.

"Horn is a threat to turn short passes into bigger gains. He brings a deep speed element that has been missing for Bryce Young, albeit the quarterback needs to complete more than 38.6 percent of his passes traveling 20-plus yards in the air, per NFL Pro.  

"Horn's most immediate impact should be felt on special teams as a returner. He can flip the field position for more favorable starts for the offense. His impact on the Panthers could be multifaceted in year one."

While all of the attention goes to McMillan, Horn can fly under the radar. The two receivers couldn't be more different from one another, as McMillan plays outside and Horn lines up in the slot.

The 5-8 wideout relies on his speed and shiftiness to make plays, and that's something the Panthers could use more of in the offense.

While he gets used to life in the NFL, look for Horn to be mainly contributing on special teams before seeing more snaps on offense.

Colorado Buffalos wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium
Colorado Buffalos wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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