xavier worthy

Xavier Worthy made up one half of Texas' star wide receiver duo that led them to the College Football Playoff in 2023. With 75 catches for 1014 yards and 5 touchdowns, he certainly had a good season by any measure. The headline with him is tantalizing speed - he just ran a record-breaking 4.21 second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. 

The good in Worthy's game is exactly what you'd expect - speed. He's a great mover, smooth in and out of breaks, and is able to maintain high speed through breaks. He absolutely scares the defense and can do some real damage with a free release. He is a downfield winner, but I don't know if he's an every down player. His ball tracking is good, too. Very helpful when chasing down 60 yard bombs.

His slight frame means his play strength isn't great, so he struggles with contact from aggressive defensive backs. I think his releases are fine, but he is easier to reroute than other receivers. I'd say he has a somewhat restricted route tree. My pet peeve watching Worthy was the drops. Seeing him leave Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry in the dust on the goal line just to let the pass hit him in the hands was heartbreaking. I feel like I've seen this before.

I do feel strongly that there is a role somewhere on a roster for Xavier Worthy. The upside is obvious. A downfield winner with record breaking speed with one-play touchdown potential. Despite the upside, he's just so small that I fear he'll be broken in half even if he is productive. There are just too many holes in his game for me to put him anywhere near the first round, but he is a rare athlete. If I had it my way, he'd be top 100-ish. Feels like a Raider.

6.17  • Late 3rd