Rookie Spotlight: Jimmy Horn Jr., WR Colorado

Height: 5-8 (official)
Weight: 174 (official)
Hands: 878 (Shrine Bowl)
Arm: 3068 (Shrine Bowl)
40 yard dash: 4.46 (combine)
2025 Age: 23
NFL Comparison: Calvin Austin III
Other RW Staff Comps: Dee Eskeridge, Ray Ray McCloud
Breakout Age: 20 (SO at South Florida)

Pros

– Elite play speed (did not test as well as expected though)
– YAC ability
– Tracks the ball well
– Skilled route runner
– Special teams asset
– Changes direction quickly and smoothly
– No.1 on-field performance in the RW Staff 2025 Combine Rankings

Cons

– Worst Athleticism/2024 Production Score combo on the 2025 NFL CombineIQ matrix
– Should test faster at his size
– Lacks physicality
– Small frame
– Not as dynamic on plays he’s not in
– Concentration drops

Fantasy Outlook:
Horn was a Shrine Bowl practice standout, due in large part to his ability to get open with ease. He’s an exquisite route runner with deceptive head movements who takes the best angles before and after the catch. He can change direction on a dime and doesn’t lose much momentum in the process. Bestowed with track star speed, Horn was very productive on throws of 20+ yards over the middle of the field. He’s skilled at tracking the ball in the air and usually catches the ball in stride. He’s not built to do it on the outside though, as he lacks play strength and gets jammed at the line by larger corners. He’s not much of a tackle breaker, but Horn is slippery when being chased from behind, which is often the case. He’s also a silky smooth runner and extremely efficient with his motion. Horn can fall prey to the occasional concentration drop, but I imagine that’s mostly due to him anticipating hits from defenders – He’s a small receiver, and that’s not going to change. He also has a tendency to half-ass plays he’s not directly involved in, which also lends to his ineffectiveness as a blocker.

From a fantasy perspective, Horn seems destined to be a role-player who gets some shining moments, and thus big fantasy lines, but the output will likely be spotty, as he will find trouble playing on the outside. He’s not really a chain mover, so much as a homerun hitter over the middle who can win actual contests but will rarely win fantasy games. That being said, we’ve seen smaller, dynamic receivers turn into every down contributors, and that’s not out of the realm of possibilities for Horn. The cards are stacked against him though.