The Seattle Seahawks' wide receiver room appears to be coming together quite nicely. Sure, no real games are underway, but the pads have come on at training camp, and 11-on-11 drills are taking place. There is no tackling, but there is a bit of contact between the receiver and the defensive back.
This offseason, as all 12s know, the Seahawks decided to trade DK Metcalf and release Tyler Lockett. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had already ascended to WR1 in the second half of last year, but the question was who would take Metcalf Lockett's places at WR2 and WR3. Seattle then signed Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency.
A healthy Kupp would make a solid second option for quarterback Sam Darnold after JSN. MVS isn't an overly safe third option, however. But Valdes-Scantling might be losing ground to rookie Tory Horton, a fifth-round 2025 draft pick, who keeps standing out at every practice.
Tory Horton is already making a positive impact on Seattle Seahawks training camp
Not only standing out, but improving. Horton's best training camp session to date might have come on Tuesday.
During one seven-on-seven drill, Horton beat backup cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett for about 30 yards. Quarterback Drew Lock made a perfect throw, and Pritchett still has to prove he can be a good NFL cornerback, but Horton still made a solid play to reel in the ball.
Horton wasn't done with that catch, however. He upped his game, got a step on starter Riq Woolen, and brought in a catch over the middle from Sam Darnold.
Two things about that were important. One is that Woolen, though he lacks the physicality to set a hard edge against the run, is very good in coverage and has elite speed. Tory Horton fairly beat him on the pattern. If Horton can outrun Woolen, then he can likely outrun many NFL corners.
The other part is that the rookie receiver has proven he can run crisp routes, and the quarterback can trust where he is going to be. That kind of rapport is going to get Horton on the field often. While he likely would have been drafted higher except for a leg injury he suffered in his last year in college, he is playing as if he was never hurt.
In Week 1, Tory Horton is not likely to be WR3 for the Seattle Seahawks. He could be, though the team might want to have Marquez Valdes-Scantling's veteran experience be the reason he gets more reps. As the season continues, however. Horton could become WR3. In two years, he could be WR2 behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba.