Cowboys trade shakes up strategy in new mock draft
By Connor Green
Round 1, pick 15: Jaycee Horn, CB- South Carolina (via above trade)
The Dallas Cowboys trade down with their top selection in the NFL Draft and move back to the 15th pick while gaining an additional second-rounder. Even with that move, the team is able to address what is arguably its biggest need and selects cornerback Jaycee Horn.
Horn played three seasons for South Carolina in the hyper-competitive SEC. During his collegiate career, he posted an impressive 23 pass deflections and 101 total tackles. The 21-year old managed to post a career-high two interceptions last season while playing in seven games for the Gamecocks.
The six-foot-one, 205-pound defensive back, perhaps unsurprisingly, excels at press-man coverage and plays with a toughness that the Cowboy’s new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn often looks for in his players. The biggest knock on Horn is that he is sometimes overly physical to the point where he gets flagged by the refs.
The young defender is one of several defensive backs in this draft class with NFL pedigree. His father, Joe Horn, was a four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who played over a decade in the league.
The Dallas Cowboys are able to gain additional draft capital while still addressing what is arguably their most pressing need. The organization pairs Horn with the teams’ other young cornerback Trevon Diggs, who led Dallas in interceptions and pass deflections in his rookie season. The two could become the most talented duo America’s Team has seen at the position in a long time.