Wide Receiver Magazine | Athlete Spotlight Zed Hornby — WR/S, The Bishop’s School (San Diego) — Class of 2029
Ask Zed Hornby about being an undersized wide receiver and he won’t flinch. He’s heard it before, and he’s already figured out the answer: get open, run block, and refuse to be afraid of contact.
“Being an undersized WR is challenging,” Hornby says, “but by not being afraid to get hit or run block, I’m able to dominate on the field.”
That mindset — equal parts toughness and self-awareness — is what makes the Bishop’s School freshman one to watch in the Class of 2029.
Raised on the Game
For Hornby, football started early and at home. He’s been playing flag since kindergarten and tackle for the last five years, and the through-line goes straight back to his father.
“My dad taught me when I was young, and I started playing from there.”
What began as backyard reps has turned into a two-way role on a varsity-level program before he’s old enough to drive. That head start shows up in the part of his game he’s proudest of: his football IQ.
The Toolbox: Agility, Strength, and IQ
Hornby points to three traits as the foundation of his game — agility, strength, and IQ. It’s a telling combination for a receiver his size. He isn’t selling himself as a burner who simply runs past people; he’s selling himself as a player who wins with leverage, quickness, and a sharp understanding of how to get open.
His goal at the position is simple and direct: “Be able to use my athleticism to score touchdowns.”
The athleticism is already measurable. At the Prep Redzone Combine, Hornby clocked a 4.25-second pro shuttle — a number that backs up the short-area quickness he relies on to separate.
A Game Modeled on Edelman
It’s no surprise who Hornby studies. He models his game after former Patriots slot receiver Julian Edelman.
“He is an undersized but shifty slot wide receiver who was always able to get open through his route running.”
It’s a fitting comparison and a smart blueprint. Edelman built a championship career out of precision, toughness, and reliability rather than measurables — exactly the lane Hornby is carving out for himself.
Trusted Early
One of the defining moments of Hornby’s young career came on the defensive side of the ball, when Bishop’s head coach Shane Walton handed a freshman the keys to start at safety.
Hornby credits Walton directly for the leap: “for putting the trust in me my freshman year to start at safety and develop me into a more intelligent football player.”
That trust has paid off. Hornby is now a two-way starter at The Bishop’s School, lining up at receiver and patrolling the secondary at safety — a workload that sharpens the field vision and instincts he brings back to the offensive side.
The Next Step
Hornby is clear-eyed about what comes next in his development. The short-area quickness is there; now he wants to stretch the field.
“Develop my speed for better down-the-field routes.”
If he adds that vertical dimension to an already shifty, high-IQ game, defenses will have one more thing to worry about.
On the Radar
Hornby has already started putting himself in front of evaluators, with stops at Prep Redzone (Irvine), Under Armour Next (Chandler, AZ), and a December 2025 feature with Wide Receiver Magazine.
For a freshman who plays both ways, leans on his brain as much as his body, and treats “undersized” as a challenge rather than a ceiling, the trajectory is pointing up.
Keep an eye on this one. Zed Hornby is just getting started.