The NFL leap is no joke. College stars get all the shine on Saturdays, but Sundays demand more. More precision, more complexity, more discipline. For the newest wideout for the Carolina Panthers, that leap’s been a bit smoother thanks to one key factor: Deion Sanders. Yeah, Coach Prime might be flashy on the sidelines, but behind the scenes, he’s all business, and apparently, he runs a tight ship that’s NFL-ready.

You might be thinking, ‘C’mon, how different can it be?’ But WR Jimmy Horn Jr. puts it in perspective. In a sit-down with Shannon Sharpe, the former Colorado Buffalo opened up about what’s really been throwing him off since joining the pros. It’s not the speed, not the media, not the workouts. It’s the dang playbook. That thing is loaded. And yet, it’s not all panic because Prime made sure Horn showed up with a solid foundation.

“It’s been that playbook, man. It’s been the playbook for sure.” Horn told Sharpe with a shake of the head when asked about the most difficult thing to learn by far in pro football. “The way Coach Prime ran the program, it was already kind of similar to like how they run it in the NFL. So right, it’s kind of similar in that way as the schemes and stuff like being run,” he added. That familiarity? It matters. While many rookies arrive wide-eyed and overwhelmed, Horn’s already seen a version of it. But he’s also real about the next level. He continued, “The plays, the terminology—it’s like learning a whole other language.”

Horn also dropped a gem that Coach Prime drilled into him, which is proving to be useful in the NFL. It’s the little things. Coach Prime’s attention to detail wasn’t just for show. When asked about what he learned from Coach Prime that’s helping in easing his transition, “The biggest key is doing the little things right. That’s from going to class, making sure your grade is right. Showing up to practice on time, making sure your socks are certain length. It’s like little small things.” Horn explained. “Once you get them down pat, it made transitioning easier.” Sounds ridiculous? Maybe. But in a league where coaches notice everything, that discipline translates.

So next time you watch Deion Sanders ranting on Media Days about athletes wearing biker shorts, which expose their thighs, don’t say ‘Coach Prime is getting older.’ He is getting older, but he is still ‘Coach Prime’. He knows what works, what doesn’t. He knows what will help athletes and what is good for them. He is not imposing rules because he can; he does it because it’s good for athletes. Because at the end of the day, even if Coach Prime shows tough love, he is still a player’s coach.

Jimmy Horn Jr. opens up on Shedeur Sanders’ draft night freefall

Every draft has its drama, but Shedeur Sanders’ slide through the rounds hit differently, especially for the ones who shared the spotlight with him. Jimmy Horn Jr., a fellow Colorado Buffalo turned NFL rookie, witnessed it all unfold in real time. As the picks ticked by and Sanders’ name stayed uncalled, Horn sat surrounded by family and friends, watching with a mix of disbelief and powerlessness. Now, Horn also went in the sixth round, despite being a player who should have gone at least by the third round. But Shedeur’s fall after being so magnified by the media was something never seen before.

“I was watching it with my people and stuff,” Horn said. “We just sitting there watching it like, ‘Da-n, da-n.’ That’s all they were saying. Da-n.” It was a moment of shared frustration and disbelief. Sanders had been a cornerstone of Colorado’s resurgence under Coach Prime, throwing darts and showing poise well beyond his years. So when teams kept passing him up, Horn, like many others, was left stunned. “That was crazy,” he said, his words flat and unfiltered. 

But Horn didn’t let that silence linger in hopelessness. Despite the disappointment, he leaned on something bigger. “But it’s all right, though. You know, everything happened for a reason,” he continued. “God got a plan for each person.” That’s the kind of brotherhood Coach Prime has built in Boulder, where players don’t just cheer for each other during the highlights, but stay rooted in belief during the lows.