From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton.
NO. 14 Tory Horton/WR Colorado State – 6024, 196 pounds (Fifth-Year Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Tory Horton | 6024/196 | 9 | 30 5/8 | 77 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.41 | 1.53 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | 37.5 | N/A |
The Good
– Serviceable blocker who puts himself in positions to win
– Natural athletic ability
– Quick vertical speed
– Powerful explosiveness out of stance
– Wins with speed
– Does an impressive job of stacking corners and winning with a deep comeback
– Catches the ball through contact
– Impressive YAC ability
– Good contact balance
– Special teams value
The Bad
– Injury history
– Sloppy route runner moving towards the middle of the field
– Ineffective route runner in quick game
– Lacks play strength
– Gets controlled by physical man coverage
– Lacks creativity at the line of scrimmage
– Does not win as a pure route runner
– Will be pigeonholed into a deep threat and mesh threat
– If he does not win with speed, the corner has an easy chance of erasing him
Bio
– Started 28 games across 3 years at Colorado State. Transferred from Nevada, where he appeared in 21 games in 2 seasons
– Suffered a season-ending knee injury vs San Jose State in their 5th game of the year
– 2024: 26 catches for 353 yards and 1 touchdown
– 2023: named a team captain and finished with 96 catches for 1,136 yards and 8 touchdowns
– Named All-Mountain West First Team
– Put on the Maxwell Award Watch List
– 2022: 71 catches for 1,131 yards and 8 touchdowns
– Named All-Mountain West First Team
– At Nevada, he totaled 72 catches for 995 yards and 10 touchdowns across 2 seasons
– Three-star prospect out of Washington Union in California
– Competed in basketball and baseball as well
– Named League MVP and First-Team as a senior
– His coach at CSU, Jay Norvell, praised Horton for his loyalty, as he was offered hundreds of thousands of dollars to leave for a power conference school, but he stayed true to his squad
Tape Breakdown
Tory Horton was considered one of the top wide receivers in this draft class before his injury. The thing that stands out the most is his athletic ability. You can tell he has been around sports for most of his life and has always had a feel for his body and what it can do. You cannot teach his natural athleticism, and it will be why he gets taken and considered for a roster spot. He is explosive out of his stance and gives himself an early option to win as the ball is snapped.
He relies on his speed heavily to give him an edge, and when he gets a step on the cornerback, he can beat them over the top. On this play at the top of the screen, he gets a step on Travis Hunter but is not targeted. This showcases his ability to take the top off the defense.
When the ball is thrown to him, he secures it with strong hands and turns up the field quickly. He catches the ball through contact and does not let himself lose speed. If he is hit immediately after the catch, he has good contact balance to stay on his feet and get upfield.
I think his role in the NFL will be a deep threat to take the top off a defense and an underneath drag route runner who can catch the ball and create explosives after the catch. Horton also does a good job of running comebacks vs. off coverage because of his vertical threat level, snapping the route at the perfect time.
While Horton is a natural athlete who can beat the defense deep, I worry about his actual “receiver” skills. First, he is a sloppy route runner when he must break inside at any level of the field or quickly outside, which limits his route tree. Due to his weaknesses, he will be in a specific role in the NFL, which is not a horrible thing but will make teams reconsider drafting him before other players.
At the line of scrimmage, he lacks creative releases to shake cornerbacks and relies on his speed to get past them. This works in college against weaker opponents, but it will be hard to maintain when everyone is just as athletic in the NFL. When he does not win with speed, it is easy for the cornerback to control him and erase his route. In this play at the top of the screen, he tries to blow by the corner with no plan and is beaten to the spot, which eliminates his ability to get open.
Horton’s play strength is weak, so when defenders get their hands on him, he has trouble breaking free of their grip. Against a good man corner, he will have trouble getting into his route and not messing up the timing of the play. While he wins with speed, trams will begin to press him and not let him get off the line. He will need to work on his play strength and staying upright on his route to get past, and then he can be a positive deep threat.
On this play at the top of the screen, he does not use a creative release and fails to win with speed. The corner beats him to his spot and cuts him off, erasing him as a receiving option.
As a blocker, Horton shows good effort but lacks the play strength to move people. He puts himself in a good position to win and walls people off, but if they want to fly through him, it will be hard for him to stop them.
Conclusion
Tory Horton projects as a deep threat that can take the top off a defense, be effective running underneath routes like drags, and use his athleticism to create yards after the catch. I think he is a solid punt and kick return option as well. As a route runner, he is sloppy and does not run any sharp breaking route well, except for a comeback vs an off-man corner. He lacks physicality and can be controlled by a handsy corner. He will need to work on creative releases instead of relying solely on speed. His injury history is also a concern. My comp for him is Jalen Nailor.
Projection: Early Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.4MED – 4th Round (Rotational Player)
Games Watched: at Texas (2024), vs San Jose State (2024), at Colorado (2023)
