Looking for the Puka Nacua of the 2024 draft class? More than likely, that player doesn’t exist, as Nacua is putting up numbers we’ve never seen from a rookie, let alone a Day 3 draft pick. But, if you’re looking for a projected late-round rookie pick with massive upside, look no further than Colorado State WR Tory Horton. Not many Devy players are talking about him, but he’s quietly had one of the more productive collegiate careers in this 2024 class. Not playing for a Power 5 program has resulted in Horton flying under the radar. Most Devy ranking sites don’t have Tory’s name listed at all. But Horton has been a producer since his early days at Nevada, and he’s developed into arguably a top-ten WR in this class.
Nevada: 2020-21
Coming out of high school, Horton was not heavily recruited. According to 247 Sports, Tory was a 3-star prospect, receiving offers from Nevada, Montana, and Northern Colorado. Horton chose to play for HC Jay Norvell at Nevada and even followed him to Colorado State when Norvell accepted a position to coach the Rams in 2022.
As a freshman, Horton caught 20 passes for 336 yards and five touchdowns for the Wolf Pack. He followed this up with 52 receptions for 659 yards and another five touchdowns as a sophomore. After the 2021 season, Norvell announced his decision to accept the Colorado State job and brought his young, promising wideout along with him.
Colorado State: 2022-Present
Horton had his official “breakout” season as a junior, leading the Rams in every statistical receiving category by a mile. Unfortunately, the team was far from competitive, ending the year at a dreadful 3-9 overall and 3-5 in conference play. Horton was the one bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season. He was one of the most productive WRs in the nation, finishing with 71 receptions, 1,131 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns. His 1,131 receiving yards were good for 12th in Division 1.
As impressive as his junior campaign was, Horton is on pace for an even better 2023 season. Through seven games, Horton has already compiled 65 receptions for 738 yards and six touchdowns. Assuming Horton remains healthy and plays the full 12-game schedule, he’s pacing for 111 receptions, 1,265 yards, and ten touchdowns. He currently sits eighth in the nation in receiving yards and second overall in receptions, only trailing LaJohntay Wester (FLA Atlantic) by one reception.
Tory has had some truly staggering individual game performances this year. In his second game of the season versus Colorado, Horton finished with a whopping 16 receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown. Just two weeks later, against Utah Tech, Horton posted ten receptions for 227 yards and boasted a hat trick, finding the endzone three times in their 41-20 beatdown. Tory has had seven or more receptions in every game but one this year and had 10+ receptions in four games. He’s also totaled 80+ receiving yards in five of seven contests. Horton has 88 targets through seven games, ranked second in the NCAA, which puts his target share at 28.9%. These numbers are going to be hard for NFL scouts to ignore.
Draft Projections
According to NFL Mock Draft Database, Tory Horton is projected to be a mid-fourth-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. On NFL Draft Buzz, Horton is viewed a bit higher, ranked as the WR10 in this class, and projected as a late-second-round draft pick. If Tory can continue at the pace he’s on this year and finish as a top-ten receiver in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, I expect his resume alone to earn him Day 2 draft capital.
Strengths/Weaknesses
Horton is a polished receiver with very few weaknesses. NFL Draft Buzz has his estimated 40-yard dash time at 4.45 seconds. While this may not be considered “elite”, Tory is undoubtedly one of the fastest players in the nation when he gets up to top speed. He currently holds the fastest-recorded speed in Division 1 football for the 2023 season.
Tory is exceptionally coordinated and has above-average hands. He’s a great ball-tracker, can produce in all areas of the field, and is excellent in open-field situations. At 6’2″ and 190 lbs, Horton could benefit from adding lean mass to his frame, but he has the height of your prototypical X receiver in the NFL. He needs to improve in contested catch situations, and while he’s had lots of success on deep routes, he may not have the same success against NFL corners.
Horton has only played in the MWC his whole career, so he hasn’t had to line up against the same caliber players as those wide receivers in Power 5 conferences. In addition, Horton was not an early-declare, and we know 4-year college players generally have less fantasy success than those early-declares, for obvious reasons.
Dynasty/Devy Value
This wide receiver draft class is loaded with top-tier talent, so Horton will likely get overlooked by most of your league mates, even if he gets Day 2 draft capital and a friendly landing spot. I believe Tory will be available in the 3rd round of most Dynasty rookie drafts, which is incredible value for a resume like his. In existing Devy leagues, it’s very possible Horton wasn’t selected at all in the Devy draft and will be available in the 2024 supplemental draft. If that’s the case, depending on how depleted the player pool is in your Devy league, Horton should be a top target to acquire. He absolutely can be an every-down player at the next level.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope you got some valuable information you can use for your fantasy team! If you’d like additional insight into Dynasty Football news and analysis, please follow me on Twitter at @jim_DFF. Until next time, keep grinding out there, DFF family! #DFFArmy #AlwaysBeBuilding
