Tennessee commit has a lot to think about after Clemson offer

Horn is shown here before Clemson's win over Auburn

by Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Wed Oct 04 07:01:03 GMT-04:00 2017

While Jaycee Horn is still committed to the Tennessee Volunteers, an offer from the defending national champions gives him plenty to think about.

The 4-star 2018 Alpharetta (GA) defensive back cites offers from Alabama, App State, Auburn, Clemson, Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Iowa State, LSU, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Carolina, Syracuse, Tulane, UAB, Utah, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and West Virginia.

However, he committed to Tennessee in late August.

Horn – the son of New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn – told TigerNet that the offer from Clemson definitely grabbed his attention.

“They're the defending national champs, so that's really all you need to know,” told TigerNet Monday evening. “I would say they're on the up and coming, even though they're already on the up. They're getting to the level of Alabama. It's always special to get an offer from a team like that.”

The 6-0, 185-pound defensive back has already been in contact with defensive coordinator Brent Venables, but is looking to build a relationship with safeties coach Mickey Conn.

“I haven't had a chance to meet Coach Conn face-to-face yet. I talk to Coach Venables,” Horn said. “From our conversations, I can just tell he's real. He's about his business, but after all, he really just wants the best for his players. That's the good thing about Coach Venables, he doesn't sugarcoat anything. He keeps it 100 with you no matter what, so that's ultimately what you want out of a coach.”

The No. 145 prospect in the ESPN 300 attended Clemson win over Auburn in Death Valley last month and he’s already planning another trip to Death Valley.

“The atmosphere was crazy seeing the whole stadium rocking. Everybody was going crazy,” he said. “It was a big night game, so that's always a good experience. I'm definitely going to make it back to another game. Like I said earlier, I've never talked to Coach Conn in person, so I want to get face-to-face with him and get a chance to chop it up with him.”

The biggest item on the list for his visit later this month is spending time with players to get a feel for how they see the Clemson’s program.

“I'm thinking about coming for the Georgia Tech game,” he said. “I just want to get around the players because that's always a big thing in the recruiting process because they'll keep it real with you and tell you what's real about the coaches. That's always a big thing to do when you get on a college campus.”

So, what exactly is the status of Horn’s commitment to Tennesee now that Clemson has thrown their name in the hat?

“I'm still 100-percent in with Tennessee. Of course, Clemson is a big offer,” he said. “I'm big on relationships as far as recruiting goes and I feel comfortable with all of the Tennessee coaching staff right now. Right now, I'm still 100-percent committed, but with that said, I'm still open and I'm still taking all of my visits.”

As a junior cornerback, Horn had 29 tackles, seven interceptions, and 25 pass breakups. However, he has moved to safety for his senior season and projects there at the next level.