Even though Shedeur Sanders doesn’t have the starting job (yet), he does have a major reason to celebrate. The Cleveland Browns have signed his former college teammate, Jimmy Horn Jr., to their practice squad. However, in that process, they have also let go of a rookie talent.

“#Browns announce the previously reported signing of Shedeur Sanders’ former Colorado WR/returner Jimmy Horn to the practice squad. To make room, they waived WR Kole Wilson,” reported Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot on September 18. 

Wilson’s road to the NFL has been long. He began his college career at Incarnate Word before transferring to Texas State, where he spent two seasons. His biggest breakthrough came last year at Baylor, where he emerged as a productive receiver and one of the nation’s top kickoff returners.

Wilson wrapped up his college career with 44 receptions for 591 yards and five touchdowns while adding 705 kickoff return yards, the most in the country. It was his USP in special teams production that put him on Cleveland’s radar, who valued what he could bring to the return game.

Cleveland signed him after he went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. Wilson tried to prove himself this offseason but could not find his footing. Wilson caught one pass for seven yards in Cleveland’s first game before finishing the second game without a recorded stat.

He then caught a 29-yard pass from quarterback Dillon Gabriel during the preseason finale against the New England Patriots. It was clear he would not make the active roster and was waived during roster cuts. However, he was brought back on the practice squad.

But then Cleveland chanced upon Jimmy Horn Jr., also a special teams specialist, who was released by the Carolina Panthers this week. He reunites with Shedeur Sanders, with whom he shares an extremely close bond. Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders said that he “made some calls” after learning that Horn was cut.

The elder Sanders became a father figure for the young wideout, as his own father was in prison during his collegiate career. Since then, Horn has become pretty much family to the Sanders.

Their paths diverged with them being on different teams. But Horn kept rooting for Sanders, who was competing for the QB1 job with Deshaun Watson

“I pray my boy do win that competition,” Horn Jr. said during training camp. “Right now, I’m worried about our season, what we got going on. But I pray my boy will win whatever they’ve got going on.”

Horn stands at 5-foot-8 and weighs 174 pounds, clearly not the standard NFL WR. But he is an absolute threat with his speed, clocking a 4.46 at the 2025 NFL Combine.

However, he was already on the bottom of the Panthers’ depth chart, and a muffed punt against the Chicago Bears foretold his exit. The Panthers released him to make room for linebacker Tyrel Dodson.

Meanwhile, Horn’s signing comes with some hope for Cleveland. Last year, he reeled in 11 catches for 108 yards. He comes off as a package with return experience, with two punt returns for 17 yards and five kick returns for 101 yards in Week 1.

Horn could give the current Browns receiver room a different dimension with his ability to operate in tight spaces. KC Concepcion and Isaiah Bond are both explosive, but they have a tendency to go down quickly in traffic. Horn excelled in those situations at Colorado, using his short-area quickness and strength to work through contact and consistently fight for extra yards and first downs, as noted by Roundtable Sports’ Jason Jones.

Teaming up with Shedeur, it’s time to make his present team and college football team proud. 

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