"I lost her at the age of 12": Jimmy Horn Jr. makes emotional revelation about one special person in life during NFL draft weekend

The 2025 NFL Draft was a dream come true for many, including former Colorado wide receiver Jimmy Horn Jr., who'll play for the Carolina Panthers after being selected with the No. 208 pick in the sixth round. He celebrated this selection, remembering one person who shaped his character the most—his late grandmother, Miss Lisa.

Colorado football published a video on Sunday, which sees Horn Jr. paying tribute to all the hands who helped him accomplish his goals. The wide receiver acknowledged that his grandmother had a deep impact on his life and values.

“I ain’t gonna say nobody bigger—I can’t," Horn Jr. said. "I’ma put Grandma up there, man, ’cause you know she had a good heart too. She’s not here no more. I lost her at the age of 12. I had to speak at her funeral when I was younger." [27:00 onwards]

"A lot of things that my dad learned from my grandma, he molded into me—and it’s just gonna be a cycle of realness that keeps going. She taught me how to be patient with a lot of people and how to deal with different people and stuff like that too. I miss my grandma. You know, if you knew about her, she was the truth. That’s Miss Lisa—Sweet Lisa, a.k.a. Miss Cereal All Night. I miss you."

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Jimmy Horn Jr.'s early life and family background

Father Jimmy Horn Jr. and his grandmother, Miss Lisa, had a lot to do with how Jimmy Horn Jr. turned out years later, after being born on September 12, 2002, in Sanford, Florida.

Horn Jr.'s old man himself was a former football player at Seminole High School and Bethune-Cookman University. He faced the challenge of incarceration since 2021 on drug-related charges but has always been there for his son.

Therefore, Horn Jr. had a good upbringing and it showed in his academic and athletic performances for Seminole High School, where he graduated with honors and earned a 3.8 GPA.

His performance merits the offer from the University of South Florida (USF), where in two seasons, Horn Jr. amassed 67 receptions for 959 yards and four touchdowns, along with a kickoff return touchdown.

Jimmy Horn Jr. arrived at Boulder and soon became a key player under the wings of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. In his junior season, he recorded 58 receptions for 567 yards and six touchdowns. Despite an injury-shortened senior year, he added 37 receptions for 441 yards and one touchdown.

Now, in the next phase of his life, he'll try to earn a spot on the Panthers' receiving corps.