Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 165
Hand Size: 8 3/4
40-Yard Dash: 4.21 seconds
10-Yard Split: 1.49 seconds
3-Cone: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
Vertical: 41″
Broad Jump: 10′ 11″
Bench Press: N/A
Pros
- Tracks and highpoints the ball well.
- Great start-stop acceleration.
- Very good long speed to threaten vertically.
- Has a pretty complete route tree.
- Catches the ball very well through contact for someone as undersized as him.
- Inside-outside versatility.
Cons
- An extremely slender frame is an area of concern.
- Could benefit from learning when and where to sit down on his routes.
- Could better understand how to stem DBs and attack their blind spots.
Notes
- 2023 First-team All-Big 12 by coaches as a wide receiver and return specialist.
- 2022 Second-team All-Big 12 by coaches and AP as a wide receiver.
- Third all-time in touchdowns, fourth all-time in receiving yards, and sixth all-time in receptions in Texas Longhorn football history.
Overview
After a monster sophomore campaign for the Longhorns, Xavier Worthy came into this season full steam ahead. While he might not have entirely lived up to expectations with how often his name wasn’t mentioned on a national scale, his stats say otherwise. After a successful career in Austin, Worthy looks to continue this success at football’s highest level.
When looking at Worthy, the biggest thing that’s noticed is his size. While he has the height, his weight is cause for concern as defenders in the NFL are, on average, much bigger than in college. Aside from this, Worthy relies too much on his athleticism to create space rather than understanding the science behind route running. Although experienced, Worthy could benefit from a better understanding of how to stem DBs and attack their blind spots. Furthermore, Worthy could also benefit in understanding when and where he should slow things down to settle in the openings of a defense.
The next thing that jumps off the screen with Worthy is his athleticism. A superb athlete, Worthy possesses excellent start-stop ability and has the speed to be a true deep threat. With the ball in the air, Worthy tracks the ball well and has no problem getting up to high-point it. Additionally, he catches through contact pretty well for someone as underweight as he is. Because of his athleticism and speed, Worthy is also a YAC threat with the ball in his hands. During his time at Texas, it was clear it was a goal to get Worthy the ball. For the Longhorn offense, he lined up out wide, in the slot, and even in the backfield.
Worthy’s frame will be used against him throughout the pre-draft process. However, slim wideouts like Devonta Smith, Tank Dell, and Zay Flowers are quickly debunking this stigma. Worthy has the potential of being the next great skinny WR to dominate the NFL.
My Two Cents
Worthy was a top WR prospect on my draft board and he still is now. While I don’t see him as a true WR1 for a team, he definitely could be one of the best WR2s in the NFL. With how receivers are expected to be selected in April, I have a first-round grade on Worthy. Could he be a second-round pick? Yes. However, if I’m a late first-round team that needs an uber-athletic wideout who can be threatening as a deep threat and YAC guy, Worthy is worth the first-round selection.
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