NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Undrafted rookie wide receiver Reece Horn is near the bottom rung of a crowded depth chart at wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans.
But he is much closer to realizing his dream of becoming a professional football player than he was a year ago.
In the summer of 2015, Horn was in the NFL, but not as a player. Horn was working for his hometown Indianapolis Colts as an intern in their community relations department. Horn said he helped out in game operations and event marketing.
''It was a great experience while I was there throughout the summer,'' Horn said.
Horn followed that up by catching 108 passes for 1,396 yards and eight touchdowns his senior year at the University of Indianapolis, a Division II program. He also averaged 26.3 yards per punt return.
Although he also had caught 68 passes his junior season in 2014, the Colts were unaware he was a college football player when they offered him the internship.
''No, they didn't (know),'' Horn said. ''I kind of told them that I played college football at the University of Indianapolis, but they didn't understand the level or what I was reaching for ultimately.''
So rather than try to press upon the Colts that he was indeed a football prospect, the sports management major just went about doing the best work possible for the job they'd hired him to do.
''I knew I wasn't there for football, so I just went there and got my work done,'' said Horn, who also has a minor in business administration.
''It was kind of like football in a sense. I showed up early, clocking your ticket, and getting to work. I learned a lot on the business side on how events run with the Colts, since I was there, and I'm sure the Titans are kind of the same way in a sense.
''There's a lot of behind-the-scenes work in community relations, getting out in the community and reaching as many fans as possible.''
Once he finished his senior season and went undrafted, the Colts did give him a tryout.
''I obviously didn't get signed,'' Horn said, ''but my agent called me the very next day and said, `You're heading to Nashville for another tryout with the Tennessee Titans.' ''
Horn tried out for the Titans and was eventually signed on June 3. Now, just as he had to work to get noticed by the Colts, he must do the same in Tennessee.
''Reece has done OK for his opportunity,'' Titans coach Mike Mularkey. ''He hasn't gotten a lot of opportunities in camp. But that will come in the preseason games, where he is going to have to show what he can do. It's just hard to get reps with 11 receivers (in camp). He's done OK. He works as hard as everybody else.''
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