JohnnyU
Footballguy
I think the Seahawks may have gotten a steal for Horton in the fifth round. He was hurt last year and the reason he fell in the draft. He would have went a lot earlier had he not gotten injured last year.
Tory Horton, sustained a season-ending knee injury during the 2024 season, specifically in a game against San Jose State. The injury required surgery and ended his college career, though was expected to make a full recovery. Despite the injury, Horton participated in the NFL combine, showcasing his speed with a 4.41 40-yard dash.
Profile - 6'2" 196 - WR Colorado State
Scouting Report
That October knee injury creates a question mark heading into the draft, but Horton's film reveals a player whose NFL impact centers around his plus ability to threaten defenses vertically and create explosive plays. His special teams value as a returner shouldn't be overlooked - it's not just resume padding but genuine playmaking that could earn him early snaps while he refines his craft. The flashes of brilliance against Mountain West competition suggest untapped potential if paired with a QB who delivers accurate deep balls.
He's not a plug-and-play Z-receiver who can run the full route tree from day one, but rather a specialized weapon whose deep and intermediate capabilities can be weaponized immediately. Landing with a team that employs an established route technician could accelerate his growth curve dramatically.
Latest news:
Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver Tory Horton "continues to flash in practice," according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. A fifth-round draft pick out of Colorado State, Horton recorded 265 catches for 3,615 yards and 27 touchdowns across five collegiate seasons. The Seahawks have Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp entrenched as their top two wide receivers, and veteran free-agent addition Marquez Valdes-Scantling is penciled in as a starter on the outside. That leaves Horton fighting with the likes of Jake Bobo, Steven Sims, and Dareke Young for a depth role in Seattle. While Horton is unlikely to make an impact in fantasy right away, he could be a name to monitor if he continues to impress throughout the preseason.--Will Brady
Tory Horton, sustained a season-ending knee injury during the 2024 season, specifically in a game against San Jose State. The injury required surgery and ended his college career, though was expected to make a full recovery. Despite the injury, Horton participated in the NFL combine, showcasing his speed with a 4.41 40-yard dash.
Profile - 6'2" 196 - WR Colorado State
Scouting Report
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional ball-tracking ability downfield that allows him to make adjustments on the fly without losing stride or separation from defensive backs.
- Natural hands-catcher who flashes mitts late in routes, consistently creating separation with deceptive gearing and vertical push against press coverage.
- Long strider with impressive build-up speed who stacks defensive backs effectively, giving quarterbacks a clean throwing window downfield.
- Manipulates route tempo masterfully, employing hesitation moves and sudden acceleration bursts that leave corners guessing and recovering.
- Displays impressive spatial awareness along sidelines, consistently maintaining awareness of boundary limits while contorting for difficult catches.
- Creates chunks of yards after catch with slippery open-field movement, vision to find running lanes, and enough wiggle to make first defender miss.
- Versatile weapon who lined up both outside and in slot at CSU, demonstrating ability to win at multiple levels and expanding his NFL projection.
- Shows remarkable body control when elevating for contested catches, contorting mid-air to adjust to ball placement and shield defenders.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- High-cut frame with limited muscle mass raises durability concerns against physical NFL corners who will test him at line of scrimmage.
- Inconsistent hand fighting technique against press coverage that could severely limit his effectiveness against NFL-caliber boundary corners.
- Route tree lacks diversity with over half his patterns at CSU consisting of vertical routes, hitches, and crossers, limiting immediate impact potential.
- Shows occasional concentration lapses with body catching tendencies, particularly on routine throws where focus shifts prematurely to YAC opportunity.
- Blocking effort and technique remain below average despite adequate frame, often appearing disinterested when plays aren't designed for him.
Scouting Report: Summary
Horton brings a specialized skillset that will immediately translate to teams needing vertical juice in their passing game. His tape shows a receiver who thrives when attacking the intermediate and deep portions of the field, particularly when he can stack defenders and track the ball over his shoulder. Smart offensive coordinators will deploy him strategically to stretch secondaries while minimizing his early exposure to complex route combinations and physical press coverage that could stall his development.That October knee injury creates a question mark heading into the draft, but Horton's film reveals a player whose NFL impact centers around his plus ability to threaten defenses vertically and create explosive plays. His special teams value as a returner shouldn't be overlooked - it's not just resume padding but genuine playmaking that could earn him early snaps while he refines his craft. The flashes of brilliance against Mountain West competition suggest untapped potential if paired with a QB who delivers accurate deep balls.
He's not a plug-and-play Z-receiver who can run the full route tree from day one, but rather a specialized weapon whose deep and intermediate capabilities can be weaponized immediately. Landing with a team that employs an established route technician could accelerate his growth curve dramatically.
Latest news:
Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver Tory Horton "continues to flash in practice," according to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic. A fifth-round draft pick out of Colorado State, Horton recorded 265 catches for 3,615 yards and 27 touchdowns across five collegiate seasons. The Seahawks have Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp entrenched as their top two wide receivers, and veteran free-agent addition Marquez Valdes-Scantling is penciled in as a starter on the outside. That leaves Horton fighting with the likes of Jake Bobo, Steven Sims, and Dareke Young for a depth role in Seattle. While Horton is unlikely to make an impact in fantasy right away, he could be a name to monitor if he continues to impress throughout the preseason.--Will Brady
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Tory Horton — Seattle Seahawks (Pick 118)
IGA Score®: 90.3 (top 10%)
RAS: 9.83 (top 2%)
