Field Gulls
A closer look at one of the potential steals of the entire 2025 NFL Draft.
The start of Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft was a test for the anxious. The Seattle Seahawks’ first pick of the day would not be until the end of the fourth round. The team also traded down before selecting Rylie Mills and traded down again before selecting Colorado State receiver Tory Horton.
Horton and Mills are very similar picks. Two players who would have been selected earlier in the Draft if not for the injuries they suffered. The difference is that Horton is in a much more advanced stage of recovery and he is part of a position where he will have a better chance of competing for the starting job.
Can he make an impact in Year 1?
Horton has sports in his DNA. His brother, Tyler, entered the NFL as a UDFA DB who signed with the Miami Dolphins after the 2019 draft. His sister, Jeane, is a volleyball player who has played in several countries. Horton played baseball, football, and basketball in high school.
He entered college as a 3-star prospect and dreamed of an offer from Fresno State, but it never came. Horton had only received offers from FCS teams (Montana, Montana State, and Northern Colorado) until Nevada recruited him. After two years with the Wolf Pack, he followed Jay Norvell to Colorado State. After an extremely productive first year with the Rams, he received NIL offers from other FBS teams, but he wanted to stay loyal to Norvell and honor his teammates. Horton was a two-year team captain.
He missed the final seven games of 2024 due to a knee injury in the game against San Jose St. We found out, as Mills did, that Horton visited Seattle pre-draft, precisely so the team could evaluate his knee. It’s worth noting that he is not injury prone; before this injury he had only missed one game in his career. Horton also adds value as a punt returner 3 TDs of 79, 78 and 72 with an average of 16.3 per return (26 attempts for 423 yards and 3 TDs.
He is part of a special group:
The most productive WRs in College in the last 6 seasons in YPRR (minimum 300 routes):
In addition to producing as a receiver, he also has a TD thrown.
According to Reel Analytics, he received an In-Game Athleticism (IGA) Score of 90.3. Horton’s athletic data (top speed, time to reach top speed, change of direction) on the field are similar to Chris Olave, an old acquaintance of Klint Kubiak.
Horton started running again two weeks before the Combine and, despite being 6’2, he ran a 4.41 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine. He said he ran a 4.35 in training....
