Deion Sanders’ Cultural Blueprint at Colorado Proving Useful for Jimmy Horn Jr.

Jimmy Horn Jr. showed appreciation for Colorado’s system.

Deion Sanders’ Cultural Blueprint at Colorado Proving Useful for Jimmy Horn Jr. originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Former Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. was drafted by the Carolina Panthers during the sixth round of April’s NFL draft with the 208th overall pick.

Horn recorded 95 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns during his two seasons under Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders. He missed three games in his senior season due to a lower body injury, but was able to develop his connection with Coach Prime.

Sanders served as a father figure to Horn because he was raised by his father, Jimmy Horn Sr., who was incarcerated in 2021 on drug-related charges. Horn still has a close relationship with his father, and because of Coach Prime's guidance, he learned to develop as a player and a young man.

Furthermore, Sanders prioritized developing his other players through spending quality time with them and having his talented coaching staff work with them. Colorado’s staff includes former NFL players and coaches such as Pat Shurmur (offensive coordinator), Byron Leftwich (offensive coordinator), Mike Zimmer (defensive coordinator), Warren Sapp (pass rush coordinator) Marshall Faulk (running backs coach), Robert Livingston (defensive coordinator) and Phil Loadholt (offensive line coach).

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders gives instruction to wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr. (5)Cris Tiller / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Buffaloes coaching staff played a key role in developing players such as Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter and Horn, who were drafted by NFL franchises. Horn showed his appreciation for Coach Prime’s system because it helped him develop a better understanding of how an NFL team’s system works, even though he did have trouble getting used to the Panthers' playbook.

“The way Coach Prime ran the program was similar to how they run it in the NFL,” Horn said during a recent episode of NFL legend Shannon Sharpe and Chad Ochocinco’s “Night Cap” podcast. “So it’s kind of similar in that way as the schemes and stuff [goes].”

Horn noted that to get used to Colorado’s system you have to do the basic things right including going to class, maintaining good grades and showing up to practice. “It makes transitioning easier once you get them down,” Horn concluded.

Related: Colorado Issues Ice-Cold Reaction to Panthers’ Latest Social Media Post

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.

Category: Football