Jimmy Horn Jr. believes his 2023 was just a prelude.
The senior wide receiver was the only Buffs skill player to start in every game last season, and he led the team with six receiving touchdowns while also finishing second in catches (58) and third in receiving yards (567).
But to Horn, that performance wasn’t good enough. Instead, numbers like his nine drops linger.
“I had a pretty decent year last year,” Horn said. “But I had higher expectations for myself, which I didn’t achieve. And I’ve got a big year ahead of me in my last year. It kind of reminds me of my senior year of high school, when my junior year didn’t go as good as I wanted it to go and I didn’t have any offers at that point.”
Horn is intent on showing off his track speed and an intensified focus. His goal: two drops or fewer. He also has his sights set on 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, in addition to emerging as a premier threat at kick returner.
CU last had a 1,000-yard receiver when Laviska Shenault Jr. hit the mark in 2018. With quarterback Shedeur Sanders also returning following a record-breaking season, there’s reason to believe the Buffs will have at least one this fall.
“My goal is to play in the (National Football) League,” Horn said. “I got Plan B’s and Plan C’s, but right now, this is my Plan A. I know my speed alone can get me into the league, so I’ve just got to go out there and perform on that field and do what I know I can do.
“… Last year, I don’t think I had (many) chances to show my speed. I’m good at catching slants and taking it to the crib, but I didn’t get anything like that last year.”
Entering his second year at CU after two seasons at South Florida, Horn has a chance to emerge as Sanders’ top weapon.
The Buffs added a pair of impact pass-catchers via the transfer portal in LaJohntay Wester and Will Sheppard. The former racked up 1,168 receiving yards for Florida Atlantic last year, while the latter averaged 14.6 yards per catch for Vanderbilt.
But even with those two garnering targets, Sanders and Horn are optimistic that a significant statistical bump is possible for No. 5. Sanders agreed with Horn’s sentiments that CU didn’t deploy his speed to its full potential under former offensive coordinator Sean Lewis, who called plays through the first two months of the season.
“If we put him in the right positions (his ceiling is high),” Sanders said. “You’ve got to understand the skill set and use him to the best of his ability. I feel like (new offensive coordinator Pat) Shurmur and (new receivers coach Jason) Phillips understand that, and we’re going to use him that way.”
Hanging in the background of Horn’s senior season is the incarceration of his father and confidant, Jimmy Horn, on drug convictions in Florida. The two bonded over football early in Horn’s life and now consistently talk on the phone, with the conversations centered on “nothing but positivity.”
“Emotionally, mentally and physically, I’m strong,” Horn said. “The way I was raised up, nothing can break me. I know if things go wrong (around me), or go left, I’m going to always be straight. There’s nothing that’s going to keep my head down. Just to wake up in the morning is a blessing.
“… Some people aren’t put in good circumstances, and some are, and I just so happen to be in a great circumstance. Why would I wake up mad, angry or sad or anything like that? I’m built for (adversity). I’m tough.”
Can Horn’s teammates match his resolve to get the Buffs back to a bowl game? Is the 5-foot-10 speedster a game-breaking projectable talent or just an undersized wideout with wheels? Will the reshaped offensive line give Sanders enough time for Horn to have a shot at accomplishing his lofty goals?
There are lots of question marks, but Horn’s confident his hands and legs will be an X-factor in head coach Deion Sanders’ pivotal second fall at CU. If he plays up to his potential, he says, “everything else will take care of itself.”