Panthers first-round pick Jaycee Horn had a pair of interceptions during Monday’s practice, but the review of his work wasn’t entirely positive.
Horn’s still making the transition from college to the NFL and head coach Matt Rhule chose to focus on things that the rookie cornerback needs to do better than on the things that went his way in practice. Specifically, Rhule focused on Horn’s penchant for playing overly physical against opposing receivers.
“Yeah, but Jaycee’s grabbing and holding way too much,” Rhule said, via Darin Gantt of the team’s website. “I love Jaycee’s tenacity, but he’s got to master his craft along the way, and he knows that. But the ball finds him, and he certainly finds a way to get to the ball. There’s no doubt about the things he can do. Like any player, you see the good things, and you’ve got to focus on the bad things. . . . He’s a young player, and he’s going to get better and better.”
When asked about Rhule’s comments, Horn said he doesn’t “want to overthink it and get me out of my game” while acknowledging the need to work on ways to continue to be a physical presence in a way that doesn’t lead to penalty flags. That won’t be all Horn’s working on in the coming weeks, but it will be a significant box for him to check before his first regular season action.