Seattle Seahawks rookie receiver Tory Horton went from turning heads at practice to impressing in a preseason game.
Early in Thursday’s tilt against the Las Vegas Raiders, Horton caught a 10-yard touchdown in traffic, spinning out of a tackle and finding paydirt. Coach Mike Macdonald afterward praised the fifth-round pick’s versatility on offense and as a punt returner.
“Yeah, it was great,” the coach said, via the team’s official website. “Then to see him catch the punt was awesome, I'm not sure how long that return was, but that helped us there. Then obviously the touchdown and you just felt him out there in those situations, which was a continuation of what we're seeing in practice. Great to see it in a game setting.”
Horton caught three of a game-high seven targets for 31 yards and the TD on Thursday night.
Horton has stood out in training camp. Thursday’s showing will only fuel the hype. Reps are open in Seattle’s receiver group behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. If Horton beats Steven Sims for punt-return duties, he’d add even more value on game days.
The rookie continued to impress teammates with his ability to make contested catches and consistently be in the right spots.
“You hate to say it this early, but what he went out and did tonight was everything I expected of him to go out and do based on how he's been performing in training camp,” backup quarterback Drew Lock said. “Just a really, really solid player. Runs the right routes. Goes up and get contested catches. And when the ball gets in his hand, he makes the plays. High praise for a rookie. He still has a long way to go. He's on the right track and he works hard. If he keeps working hard and keeps doing what he's doing, he's going to be a really good football player.”
Horton’s roster spot is secure at this stage. The question now is whether he can earn legit playing time, potentially siphoning off reps from MVS. If injuries strike -- particularly given Kupp’s history -- Horton could find himself playing a pivotal role this season in Seattle.