Since 2021, Texas WR Xavier Worthy has been one of college football’s most dynamic weapons, and now, he’s a top prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. In a stacked 2024 WR group, where does Worthy rank, and how does his unique profile help his projection?
Xavier Worthy Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 172 pounds
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: Texas
- Current Year: Junior
There are few things more impressive than Worthy’s speed. Speed alone was a big factor in Worthy becoming a top-100 national recruit and a four-star talent in the 2021 recruiting class.
Worthy had a 10.55-second 100-meter dash time in high school, and he’s been rumored to run as fast as a 4.29-second time in the 40-yard dash. That timed speed translates to the field, where Worthy’s long-strider range evokes visceral fear in defensive backs on a down-to-down basis.
Xavier Worthy’s record-breaking performance stole the show in Indy. 🏈@IC_Draft and @AJSchulteFB recap the #NFLCombine on the NEW episode of the PFN Scouting Podcast.
Listen: https://t.co/arqL75S474pic.twitter.com/KiNPOruy90
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) March 5, 2024
Few things are more impressive than Worthy’s speed, but here’s something that is: From Day 1 at the college football level, Worthy was more than just a speed threat. He truly “got it” as early as his freshman season, and he was an instant producer — not just with his speed but his intuition and intelligence as a WR.
As a true freshman, Worthy caught 62 passes for 981 yards and 12 scores. The following year, Worthy caught 60 passes for 760 yards and nine scores. And in his final season, Worthy notched career-high marks in catches (75) and yards (1,014), while Texas made the College Football Playoffs.
Worthy has the age, athleticism, and production profile — but still, there’s some uncertainty surrounding his profile. Does Worthy have what it takes to transcend the “size outlier” label, and can he sustain his production in the NFL?
Xavier Worthy Scouting Report
Strengths
- Instant accelerator with hyper-elite explosive capacity who goes zero to 100 in a blink.
- Photonic speed threat whose long strides can obliterate coverage and tackling angles.
- High-energy athlete with wicked foot speed and lateral twitch out of his stance.
- Can keep speed while using curvilinear acceleration and bend to sear through breaks.
- Stop-and-start, speed, and flexibility amount to devastating upside as a separator.
- Manipulative route runner who actively weaponizes speed to bait DBs into fading upfield.
- Can masterfully throttle up into stems and use tempo modulations to tug DBs off kilter.
- Versatile WR with a vast route tree, elite sinking capacity, and freedom on breaks.
- Brings incredible ball-tracking ability in the deep third, even when crowded by DBs.
- Expert contortionist with high-level body control and coordination on adjustments.
- Has good sideline awareness and can extend beyond his frame to guide in throws.
- Has shown he can use diamond hand technique and cradle low pass attempts in stride.
- Competitive player with wiry strength for his size, both as a blocker and a RAC threat.
- Flashes unnatural contact balance and recoiling ability with his frame and active feet.
- Was an immediate breakout player in college and is just 21 years old.
Weaknesses
- Frame is extremely light and lean, which can limit viability in contested situations.
- Experiences occasional lapses with ball tracking and fails to find the ball on verticals.
- Can be prone to occasional focus drops on routine throws with space to work.
- Sometimes claps his hands together late at the catch point when extending for passes.
- Lacks elite hand strength, as passes can be jarred loose by contact with the ground.
- Doesn’t have the strength or physicality to fight for positioning versus close coverage.
- With his lighter frame, he naturally lacks elite contact balance after the catch.
- Routine defensive cushions and motion usage limited his experience against press.
- Isn’t an overly obstructing presence against power as a run blocker.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Worthy grades out as a top-50 prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft and a potential Round 1 candidate at his position. He’s a fringe top-five WR in a stacked WR class, and he might be the most overwhelming speed threat on the entire board.
At just 6’1″, 172 pounds, Worthy’s size will be frightening to some. He has an unnaturally light and lean frame, and that naturally comes with some deficiencies, particularly when working against physicality and press-man coverage.
That said, Worthy is a deadly offensive weapon for defensive backs to contend with in a space-dominated modern NFL.
He’s a hyper-elite speed threat with the long strides to chew up space in an instant, but he also knows how to use that speed to scare DBs out of optimal leverage as a route runner, and he has the bend and nuance to capitalize.
Worthy’s speed is such an important foundational element to his game, but he knows how to build beyond it. He’s not just a one-trick pony. When he is working the vertical plane with his speed, he’s shown he can track the ball while keeping speed and making high-difficulty catches.
Worthy’s hands serve as the next biggest question mark, but even there, there’s some room for optimism. He’s shown he can use diamond technique and cradle passes. More often than not, his drops are an issue of focus rather than technique. He improved on that in 2023, and more repetition could carry on the trend.
MORE: FREE Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
As a movement Z-wide receiver who can be schemed opportunities and free releases, Worthy has the speed to generate RAC in the open field, destroy coverage angles, get vertical as a deep threat, and supplement lightning-quick releases at second-level stems.
He’s a weapon on his own with his speed, agility, wiry RAC strength, and competitive mentality, but he also has the route-running ability to gash both man and zone coverage. Right away, his sheer speed should stretch defenses thin and create opportunities across the board, but Worthy himself has the tools to be an impact starter at all three levels.
Draft with your friends today! PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator now supports multiple drafters during the same draft! Ensure your player rankings are up to date on the 2024 NFL Draft Big Board and you know what every NFL team needs before drafting.