Believe it or not, when Jaycee Horn narrowed his list down to two finalists back in June, Tennessee didn’t make the cut. Instead, it was Alabama and South Carolina that Horn had his eye on. That didn’t stop the Volunteers from recruiting him, in fact, it just made Butch Jones’ staff try harder.

That persistence paid off Thursday, as the four-star cornerback from Alpharetta, Ga., pledged to become the 23rd prospect to commit to Tennessee for 2018. If his name sounds familiar, it’s because his father Joe played in the NFL for over a decade.

Following this pledge, the SEC’s No. 1-ranked recruiting class continues to separate from the rest of the conference. With Horn joining the fold, 10 of the Vols 23 commits are ranked as four-stars or better prospects. The Tennessee class already rated as the SEC’s best and currently ranks as the No. 6 overall class in the nation.

Don’t be surprised if UT stops pursuing defensive backs, as the Vols may have locked up the best secondary class in the nation following this commitment. Horn joins an impressive list (safety Trey Dean, safety Brendon Harris and corners Brandon Cross and Tanner Ingle were already committed) of DBs pledged to play in Knoxville.

While his father made his name as a receiver, Jaycee’s path has taken him to the other side of the ball. Check out this video showing off his incredible hands, which is particularly interesting considering he plays on the defensive secondary:

The 6-foot, 174-pound Horn is rated as a four-star prospect, the No. 25 cornerback in the nation and the No. 24 overall prospect from the state of Georgia, according to 247Sports. The 2018 Under Armour All-American also has scholarship offers from Auburn, Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Ohio State and Virginia Tech among many others.

Horn has put his hands to good use on the football field, as he registered seven interceptions and 25 pass break ups last year.

His junior season highlight reel should give you an idea of what he potentially brings to the defense on Rocky Top starting in 2018. Despite his ball skills, Horn doesn’t appear to shy away from contact like some elite cover corners.