The NFL Draft will begin on April 25, 2024. We take a look at the NFL Scouting Combine’s new record holder in the 40-yard dash, Xavier Worthy.
Make sure to check out all of our other NFL Draft scouting reports.
Worthy came out of Central East High School in Fresno, Calif., in 2021. Unsurprisingly, he boasted an impressive track background. He ran his record 10.55 in the 100m as a sophomore and, according to 247sports, finished eighth in the CIF State Finals with a 10.65.
Xavier stood out on the football field at the same time. He was a four-star prospect and ranked the eighth-best player in the state of California in 2021. After de-committing from the Michigan Wolverines during his senior year, Worthy decided to play college football at the University of Texas.
At Texas, Xavier would start 39 games for the Longhorns. He is third all-time in Texas history with 26 touchdown receptions and fourth in all-time receiving yardage (2,755). The speedster earned All-American Second-Team honors for his 2023 season and helped the Longhorns get one game away from the National Championship.
Xavier Worthy, Wide Receiver, Texas
Name: Xavier Worthy
Jersey: No. 1
Position: Wide Receiver
School: Texas
Class: Junior
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 172 lbs.
Not just fast…but *football* fast
📼 @XavierWorthy pic.twitter.com/lzAG3tmQBR
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) March 3, 2024
Xavier Worthy Strengths
The most obvious strength for Worthy is his record-setting speed. Even before running his 4.21 at the Combine, speed was the biggest strength of his on tape. He will consistently take the top off defenses and beat cornerbacks up the sideline. He also has above-average hands, so teams shouldn’t be overly concerned about drops at the catch point. This combination alone will carve him out a role in an NFL offense.
Additionally, Worthy has room to improve his route running. With development at the next level, he should be able to expand his route tree to become an intermediate to short threat. He understands soft spots in zones and works his way into them.
Xavier Worthy Weaknesses
Xavier’s biggest weakness is also noticeable in his film: size. At 172 pounds, it’s going to be difficult for Worthy to avoid press coverage. Tank Dell, Devonta Smith, and Jordan Addison have helped the smaller receiver stigma, but all were better route runners coming out of college.
Pro Comparison: John Ross III
The former 40-yard dash record holder, Ross represents an almost identical comparison for Worthy. Both have blazing speed, are not extremely nuanced route runners, and earned instant fandom in the NFL. The biggest difference is that Ross, who was considered undersized, still had 16 pounds on Worthy. The NFL overdrafted Ross, who couldn’t live up to the hype. However, expectations have since been tempered and Worthy can be the NFL’s newest deep threat.
Draft Projection: Third Round
With his 40-yard dash, Worthy is now being mocked in the late first or early second round. That, however, is the hype train and recency bias working at their finest. The talent in this draft may still prevent him from getting to that range. An additional COVID year has made this class deeper than most, and some prospects that would’ve been second-rounders are now thirds. This is the case for Worthy. He’ll be an impact player with limited snaps to begin but can develop into a larger threat in Year 2 or 3.
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