WR Xavier Worthy, KC (1 Viewer)

[rockaction]

A true junior who exploded for a 39% dominator rating in his freshman season, Xavier Worthy is almost as notable for his early breakout as he is for his blazing speed. He hit a top speed of 22.7 mph on a punt return in 2023, faster than any other FBS player in a game environment. A former high school track star, Worthy’s name is often mentioned in lists of players who could break the 4.3 second barrier in the forty at Indianapolis and he did!

Tex

What's your source, BigTex? Why not leave us with a citation or credit so we know what context it is in and what publication it is from?

 

[BigTex]

A true junior who exploded for a 39% dominator rating in his freshman season, Xavier Worthy is almost as notable for his early breakout as he is for his blazing speed. He hit a top speed of 22.7 mph on a punt return in 2023, faster than any other FBS player in a game environment. A former high school track star, Worthy’s name is often mentioned in lists of players who could break the 4.3 second barrier in the forty at Indianapolis and he did!

Tex

What's your source, BigTex? Why not leave us with a citation or credit so we know what context it is in and what publication it is from?

I will edit them they are from Rotoviz my good friend.



Tex

 

[rockaction]

I will edit them they are from Rotoviz my good friend.

Thank you, Tex. I appreciate it. I just wanted to know who or where it was coming from so I could put the appropriate weight on it if I happened to know the source.

 

[menobrown]

I still like Roman Wilson better for FF.
Worthy probably has more NFL value than FF.

Wilson's numbers at the combine were awesome.
AD Mitchell had a much better combine than Worthy did. He was close to the same athlete and 40 FREAKING POUNDS heavier. People see 165 and think, oh he can get at that weight, he's so fast.

Great, maybe he can.

But to run and jump almost as well as that guy, but be 40 pounds heavier? That's massive. That weight will show up every single game as an advantage over Worthy. Every single game. Blocking a safety on a run. Fighting off man to man on a slant.

Agree again, but let's not forget how good Tank Dell looked last year. Also in the 160s. A common theme with Cecil and Sigmund last season was the emergence of the little guys in many modern schemes. Worthy plays bigger than Tank. He has surprising contact balance and has scored some long ones after taking a big hit.

Nevertheless, and not wanting to put too much weight on the combine, Adonai was the big winner yesterday despite the the 4.21 40 record. I think I saw overall athletic grades for WRs from the event ranking Mitchell #1 and Worthy #4. No wonder they both got open so easily when I watched them.

Tank Dell might have made worthy millions.

Why is everyone forgetting about Devonta Smith?

 

[eighsse2]

I still like Roman Wilson better for FF.
Worthy probably has more NFL value than FF.

Wilson's numbers at the combine were awesome.
AD Mitchell had a much better combine than Worthy did. He was close to the same athlete and 40 FREAKING POUNDS heavier. People see 165 and think, oh he can get at that weight, he's so fast.

Great, maybe he can.

But to run and jump almost as well as that guy, but be 40 pounds heavier? That's massive. That weight will show up every single game as an advantage over Worthy. Every single game. Blocking a safety on a run. Fighting off man to man on a slant.

Agree again, but let's not forget how good Tank Dell looked last year. Also in the 160s. A common theme with Cecil and Sigmund last season was the emergence of the little guys in many modern schemes. Worthy plays bigger than Tank. He has surprising contact balance and has scored some long ones after taking a big hit.

Nevertheless, and not wanting to put too much weight on the combine, Adonai was the big winner yesterday despite the the 4.21 40 record. I think I saw overall athletic grades for WRs from the event ranking Mitchell #1 and Worthy #4. No wonder they both got open so easily when I watched them.

Tank Dell might have made worthy millions.

Why is everyone forgetting about Devonta Smith?

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

 

[BigTex]

I will edit them they are from Rotoviz my good friend.

Thank you, Tex. I appreciate it. I just wanted to know who or where it was coming from so I could put the appropriate weight on it if I happened to know the source.

No worries my good friend, completely understandable.

Tex

 

[massraider]

I have volume concerns from a fantasy perspective, but:

62 catches for 981 yards and 12 TDs as an 18 year old true freshman. At Texas.

There might be metrics showing he won't catch 110 balls in the NFL, but he looks like a really great NFL prospect to me.

 

[-OZ-]

I still like Roman Wilson better for FF.
Worthy probably has more NFL value than FF.

Wilson's numbers at the combine were awesome.
AD Mitchell had a much better combine than Worthy did. He was close to the same athlete and 40 FREAKING POUNDS heavier. People see 165 and think, oh he can get at that weight, he's so fast.

Great, maybe he can.

But to run and jump almost as well as that guy, but be 40 pounds heavier? That's massive. That weight will show up every single game as an advantage over Worthy. Every single game. Blocking a safety on a run. Fighting off man to man on a slant.

Agree again, but let's not forget how good Tank Dell looked last year. Also in the 160s. A common theme with Cecil and Sigmund last season was the emergence of the little guys in many modern schemes. Worthy plays bigger than Tank. He has surprising contact balance and has scored some long ones after taking a big hit.

Nevertheless, and not wanting to put too much weight on the combine, Adonai was the big winner yesterday despite the the 4.21 40 record. I think I saw overall athletic grades for WRs from the event ranking Mitchell #1 and Worthy #4. No wonder they both got open so easily when I watched them.

Tank Dell might have made worthy millions.

Why is everyone forgetting about Devonta Smith?

We’re not. Smith played a lot better his final two years. Dude was a stud as a senior. Granted, worthy left early so maybe he would have been but he didn’t look the part from what I saw.

 

[JohnnyU]

I still like Roman Wilson better for FF.
Worthy probably has more NFL value than FF.

Wilson's numbers at the combine were awesome.
AD Mitchell had a much better combine than Worthy did. He was close to the same athlete and 40 FREAKING POUNDS heavier. People see 165 and think, oh he can get at that weight, he's so fast.

Great, maybe he can.

But to run and jump almost as well as that guy, but be 40 pounds heavier? That's massive. That weight will show up every single game as an advantage over Worthy. Every single game. Blocking a safety on a run. Fighting off man to man on a slant.

Agree again, but let's not forget how good Tank Dell looked last year. Also in the 160s. A common theme with Cecil and Sigmund last season was the emergence of the little guys in many modern schemes. Worthy plays bigger than Tank. He has surprising contact balance and has scored some long ones after taking a big hit.

Nevertheless, and not wanting to put too much weight on the combine, Adonai was the big winner yesterday despite the the 4.21 40 record. I think I saw overall athletic grades for WRs from the event ranking Mitchell #1 and Worthy #4. No wonder they both got open so easily when I watched them.

Tank Dell might have made worthy millions.

Why is everyone forgetting about Devonta Smith?

I would say Smith is more suited for today's NFL than someone like Xavier Legette and, Keon Coleman. Worthy has potential, but usage will mean everything for Xavier Worthy. He will need to be moved all over and make use of his quickness.

 

[menobrown]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

 

[menobrown]

We’re not. Smith played a lot better his final two years. Dude was a stud as a senior. Granted, worthy left early so maybe he would have been but he didn’t look the part from what I saw.

Simply talking about the context of his size.

 

[eighsse2]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

NFL.com says Smith was 175 on his prospect profile, but I don't know if that's the best place to look or not. I thought they would use the combine measurements on that page.

 

[menobrown]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

NFL.com says Smith was 175 on his prospect profile, but I don't know if that's the best place to look or not. I thought they would use the combine measurements on that page.

I would use this site for historical looks ups: https://nflcombineresults.com/

Devonta did not do measurements at the combine. At his pro day he measured 170. He later returned to Indy for a medical check and weighed 166.

175 was his college listed weight.

Devonta Smith is much closer comp to Worthy's size then Dell. Thus why I asked why do people act like Tank broke the mold for lighter WR's doing well.

 

[-OZ-]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

NFL.com says Smith was 175 on his prospect profile, but I don't know if that's the best place to look or not. I thought they would use the combine measurements on that page.

I would use this site for historical looks ups: https://nflcombineresults.com/

Devonta did not do measurements at the combine. At his pro day he measured 170. He later returned to Indy for a medical check and weighed 166.

175 was his college listed weight.

Devonta Smith is much closer comp to Worthy's size then Dell. Thus why I asked why do people act like Tank broke the mold for lighter WR's doing well.

Recency.
I’m not too concerned about the size. He just didn’t impress nearly as much as smith did.

 

[JohnnyU]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

NFL.com says Smith was 175 on his prospect profile, but I don't know if that's the best place to look or not. I thought they would use the combine measurements on that page.

I would use this site for historical looks ups: https://nflcombineresults.com/

Devonta did not do measurements at the combine. At his pro day he measured 170. He later returned to Indy for a medical check and weighed 166.

175 was his college listed weight.

Devonta Smith is much closer comp to Worthy's size then Dell. Thus why I asked why do people act like Tank broke the mold for lighter WR's doing well.

Recency.
I’m not too concerned about the size. He just didn’t impress nearly as much as smith did.

That’s for sure.

 

[menobrown]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

NFL.com says Smith was 175 on his prospect profile, but I don't know if that's the best place to look or not. I thought they would use the combine measurements on that page.

I would use this site for historical looks ups: https://nflcombineresults.com/

Devonta did not do measurements at the combine. At his pro day he measured 170. He later returned to Indy for a medical check and weighed 166.

175 was his college listed weight.

Devonta Smith is much closer comp to Worthy's size then Dell. Thus why I asked why do people act like Tank broke the mold for lighter WR's doing well.

Recency.
I’m not too concerned about the size. He just didn’t impress nearly as much as smith did.

Sure if you say so but hard for me to think when you said Tank Dell made Worty millions you were not talking about size.

 

[Boone22]

The question is… is he faster than Forest Gump?

 

[JohnnyU]

The question is… is he faster than Forest Gump?

I gotta peeeee

 

[-OZ-]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

NFL.com says Smith was 175 on his prospect profile, but I don't know if that's the best place to look or not. I thought they would use the combine measurements on that page.

I would use this site for historical looks ups: https://nflcombineresults.com/

Devonta did not do measurements at the combine. At his pro day he measured 170. He later returned to Indy for a medical check and weighed 166.

175 was his college listed weight.

Devonta Smith is much closer comp to Worthy's size then Dell. Thus why I asked why do people act like Tank broke the mold for lighter WR's doing well.

Recency.
I’m not too concerned about the size. He just didn’t impress nearly as much as smith did.

Sure if you say so but hard for me to think when you said Tank Dell made Worty millions you were not talking about size.

The key difference is Smith performed at a high level his senior year. Dell and Worthy didn’t show that level of performance. Excuses / reasons can be made, but the fact remains, Devonta was the best receiver in college his senior year, worthy isn’t close to that level. But he can be Tank.

IOW:
Speedy, small WR who dominated at the highest level in college football.
Vs
Speedy small receivers who didn’t.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Raiders will move up to draft him.

 

[menobrown]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

NFL.com says Smith was 175 on his prospect profile, but I don't know if that's the best place to look or not. I thought they would use the combine measurements on that page.

I would use this site for historical looks ups: https://nflcombineresults.com/

Devonta did not do measurements at the combine. At his pro day he measured 170. He later returned to Indy for a medical check and weighed 166.

175 was his college listed weight.

Devonta Smith is much closer comp to Worthy's size then Dell. Thus why I asked why do people act like Tank broke the mold for lighter WR's doing well.

Recency.
I’m not too concerned about the size. He just didn’t impress nearly as much as smith did.

Sure if you say so but hard for me to think when you said Tank Dell made Worty millions you were not talking about size.

The key difference is Smith performed at a high level his senior year. Dell and Worthy didn’t show that level of performance. Excuses / reasons can be made, but the fact remains, Devonta was the best receiver in college his senior year, worthy isn’t close to that level. But he can be Tank.

IOW:
Speedy, small WR who dominated at the highest level in college football.
Vs
Speedy small receivers who didn’t.

Your post was entirely about Tank's size paving the way for Worthy. Not sure why you are trying to hard to fight it but I'm done with it.

 

[-OZ-]

At least Smith had 10 pounds on them. Though also Smith was taller, especially versus Dell. 10 pounds is fairly significant though, especially when you're at the extreme end.

Devonta 72.25"/170

Worthy 71.25"/165

Tank 68.38"/165

NFL.com says Smith was 175 on his prospect profile, but I don't know if that's the best place to look or not. I thought they would use the combine measurements on that page.

I would use this site for historical looks ups: https://nflcombineresults.com/

Devonta did not do measurements at the combine. At his pro day he measured 170. He later returned to Indy for a medical check and weighed 166.

175 was his college listed weight.

Devonta Smith is much closer comp to Worthy's size then Dell. Thus why I asked why do people act like Tank broke the mold for lighter WR's doing well.

Recency.
I’m not too concerned about the size. He just didn’t impress nearly as much as smith did.

Sure if you say so but hard for me to think when you said Tank Dell made Worty millions you were not talking about size.

The key difference is Smith performed at a high level his senior year. Dell and Worthy didn’t show that level of performance. Excuses / reasons can be made, but the fact remains, Devonta was the best receiver in college his senior year, worthy isn’t close to that level. But he can be Tank.

IOW:
Speedy, small WR who dominated at the highest level in college football.
Vs
Speedy small receivers who didn’t.

Your post was entirely about Tank's size paving the way for Worthy. Not sure why you are trying to hard to fight it but I'm done with it.

It’s okay to admit you didn’t understand the point.
Have a great day

 

[Ack88]

If you're going to fade the combine for any NFL position, it's likely best to do it for wide receivers. The 40-yard dash at other drills have huge effects on WR draft position, but little for actual NFL value

https://twitter.com/KevinCole___/status/1762546867928207426?t=tfGNBZwS1J7ggT2ini4INg&s=19

Yeah, football is a game of skills developed over many years and revealed in many games over many years. The combine is a one day test of... stuff not necessarily relevant to those skills.

I believe I heard Daniel Jeremiah say yesterday that the average 40 time for the top 10 WR last year was 4.48.

 

[SuperFantasyFootballGuy]

Someone else can have this guy. The 40 time is nice but he's really small. I got fooled on Marquise Brown as the rest of the league did. I mean, Day 1 of Free Agency has past and nobody has even bothered to bump the Marquise Brown thread. Allegedly Brown ran a 4.27 at his Pro Day (so probably a 4.3 guy).


When he gets daylight, it looks like Chris Johnson, but Chris Johnson was 30 lbs heavier than this guy. If he ends up being the next Tyreek Hill, I'll kick myself in the ***, but the closest comparison we have (Marquise Brown) hasn't amounted to much in Fantasy and is still an available free agent (nobody wants to pay him). If he ends up breaking the mold at 165, 170 lbs whatever he is, kudos to whoever ends up taking him but it won't be me.



From an NFL perspective, he's a guy you'd love to have on your team as a Punt Returner and WR3. But I have a hard time seeing him eclipse more than 65-70 catches in a season. Marquise Goodwin was an Olympic Sprinter and he didn't really amount to much. I think it goes to show you how much the game has changed that a guy this small even has a chance to play, but at 5,11 and 165 lbs he might as well be a faster Tavon Austin (5 ft 8, 174 lbs). He's 3 inches taller than Tavon Austin but 10 lbs lighter. Tavon couldn't do it, Marquise couldn't do it.


If I don't learn from those mistakes, why do I bother putting in the time to do all this research?



ETA: Before anyone mentions Devonta Smith. Devonta Smith won a Heisman, they're the same size but not comparable prospects based on the way they play. Worthy wishes he was Devonta Smith.

 

[(HULK)]

Someone else can have this guy. The 40 time is nice but he's really small. I got fooled on Marquise Brown as the rest of the league did. I mean, Day 1 of Free Agency has past and nobody has even bothered to bump the Marquise Brown thread. Allegedly Brown ran a 4.27 at his Pro Day (so probably a 4.3 guy).


When he gets daylight, it looks like Chris Johnson, but Chris Johnson was 30 lbs heavier than this guy. If he ends up being the next Tyreek Hill, I'll kick myself in the ***, but the closest comparison we have (Marquise Brown) hasn't amounted to much in Fantasy and is still an available free agent (nobody wants to pay him). If he ends up breaking the mold at 165, 170 lbs whatever he is, kudos to whoever ends up taking him but it won't be me.



From an NFL perspective, he's a guy you'd love to have on your team as a Punt Returner and WR3. But I have a hard time seeing him eclipse more than 65-70 catches in a season. Marquise Goodwin was an Olympic Sprinter and he didn't really amount to much. I think it goes to show you how much the game has changed that a guy this small even has a chance to play, but at 5,11 and 165 lbs he might as well be a faster Tavon Austin (5 ft 8, 174 lbs). He's 3 inches taller than Tavon Austin but 10 lbs lighter. Tavon couldn't do it, Marquise couldn't do it.


If I don't learn from those mistakes, why do I bother putting in the time to do all this research?



ETA: Before anyone mentions Devonta Smith. Devonta Smith won a Heisman, they're the same size but not comparable prospects based on the way they play. Worthy wishes he was Devonta Smith.

Free agency hasn't even been open for 24 hours yet. "Nobody wants him" is a take, but not a good one. If he's still a free agent next week, sure, say it, but today? Nah.

 

[Faust]

Tony Pauline

Xavier Worthy, he of the 4.21s forty at the Combine, tipped the scales at 169, four more than Indianapolis

https://x.com/tonypauline/status/1770516619913036076?s=61

 

[JohnnyU]

Someone else can have this guy. The 40 time is nice but he's really small. I got fooled on Marquise Brown as the rest of the league did. I mean, Day 1 of Free Agency has past and nobody has even bothered to bump the Marquise Brown thread. Allegedly Brown ran a 4.27 at his Pro Day (so probably a 4.3 guy).


When he gets daylight, it looks like Chris Johnson, but Chris Johnson was 30 lbs heavier than this guy. If he ends up being the next Tyreek Hill, I'll kick myself in the ***, but the closest comparison we have (Marquise Brown) hasn't amounted to much in Fantasy and is still an available free agent (nobody wants to pay him). If he ends up breaking the mold at 165, 170 lbs whatever he is, kudos to whoever ends up taking him but it won't be me.



From an NFL perspective, he's a guy you'd love to have on your team as a Punt Returner and WR3. But I have a hard time seeing him eclipse more than 65-70 catches in a season. Marquise Goodwin was an Olympic Sprinter and he didn't really amount to much. I think it goes to show you how much the game has changed that a guy this small even has a chance to play, but at 5,11 and 165 lbs he might as well be a faster Tavon Austin (5 ft 8, 174 lbs). He's 3 inches taller than Tavon Austin but 10 lbs lighter. Tavon couldn't do it, Marquise couldn't do it.


If I don't learn from those mistakes, why do I bother putting in the time to do all this research?



ETA: Before anyone mentions Devonta Smith. Devonta Smith won a Heisman, they're the same size but not comparable prospects based on the way they play. Worthy wishes he was Devonta Smith.

I get it. BUT...., don't forget, this guy isn't just a speed guy. He had a great freshman breakout year and people soured on him because of size and some occasional drops, but he isn't just a speed guy. If he lands in a good situation I can see him having a high ceiling. If he doesn't, then OK, I'll fade him. He is the true boom or bust prospect, but IMO that is based upon landing spot and scheme more than his ability.

 

[Faust]

2024 NFL draft: Colts to host Xavier Worthy for top 30 visit

Can Xavier Worthy and his record-breaking 4.21 speed really make it in the NFL?

 

[Faust]

Jordan Schultz
Speaking of Texas wideouts, how about the emergence of Xavier Worthy!

One executive in attendance at his Pro Day texted: “That dude’s a video game. Like a 99 speed in Madden! But he’s not just a straight line guy. He’s twitchy and fluid.”

https://x.com/schultz_report/status/1770550826739564979?s=61

 

[massraider]

He had a great freshman breakout year

Being that skinny. That's super impressive. Really, really impressive.

We looking at Xavier Legette over here, looks like a Greek God. Took this mope FIVE YEARS to do anything approaching Worthy's freshman year.

I am not underestimating this guy.

 

[need2know]

Holy smokes he was FLYING. How much higher in the draft did he just move up after his 40

Ideally it wouldn't.

Great that he rocked his 40, everyone knew he'd be 4.3 or better though. He also came in 2 inches and 7 pounds smaller than he was listed as Texas. Personally, that means more than his 40 time in my opinion, not like him being super fast was a surprise.

He goes in the 1st round, someone is gonna really regret it on my opinion. The Darnell Mooney comp feels fair to me, with MAYBE a Hollywood Brown ceiling. Top-4 WR is really bold, not sure he's in my top-10.

I agree. He would be awesome as a wr3 on my eagles

 

[travdogg]

Holy smokes he was FLYING. How much higher in the draft did he just move up after his 40

Ideally it wouldn't.

Great that he rocked his 40, everyone knew he'd be 4.3 or better though. He also came in 2 inches and 7 pounds smaller than he was listed as Texas. Personally, that means more than his 40 time in my opinion, not like him being super fast was a surprise.

He goes in the 1st round, someone is gonna really regret it on my opinion. The Darnell Mooney comp feels fair to me, with MAYBE a Hollywood Brown ceiling. Top-4 WR is really bold, not sure he's in my top-10.

I agree. He would be awesome as a wr3 on my eagles

That's probably the type of role he should have.

I like Worthy as a 3rd round pick. but I'm not seeing the route running chops similar sized guys like Downs and Dell had a year ago, let alone Addison.

Personally, I think his teammate Adonai Mitchell is a significantly better prospect.

 

[JohnnyU]

He had a great freshman breakout year

Being that skinny. That's super impressive. Really, really impressive.

We looking at Xavier Legette over here, looks like a Greek God. Took this mope FIVE YEARS to do anything approaching Worthy's freshman year.

I am not underestimating this guy.

It's like when Ogden Phipps won the coin toss against Penny Chenery, who ended up with the foal Secretariat, he said, "The horse I ended up with was the prettiest horse in the stable, but couldn't outrun my accountant". So, "looks like a Greek God (referring to Leggett)", doesn't mean squat.

Some background for those that don't know what I'm talking about.

The winner of the coin toss between Ogden Phipps and Penny Chenery in 1969 was Phipps and he chose from the recently born foal of the sire Bold Ruler and the mare Hasty Matelda, Penny Chenery, the loser of the coin toss, would get a second foal from Bold Ruler with Somethingroyal, which turned out to be Secretariat. Phipps won the coin toss, but Chenery won for the record books

So as far as fantasy football goes, sometimes it's just plan ole luck and just because someone looks like a "Greek God", doesn't mean he's the best horse in the barn.

 

[King of the Jungle]

Holy smokes he was FLYING. How much higher in the draft did he just move up after his 40

Ideally it wouldn't.

Great that he rocked his 40, everyone knew he'd be 4.3 or better though. He also came in 2 inches and 7 pounds smaller than he was listed as Texas. Personally, that means more than his 40 time in my opinion, not like him being super fast was a surprise.

He goes in the 1st round, someone is gonna really regret it on my opinion. The Darnell Mooney comp feels fair to me, with MAYBE a Hollywood Brown ceiling. Top-4 WR is really bold, not sure he's in my top-10.

Bingo, and I think people forget what a great prospect Marquise was coming out of OU. I will let others chase the small/speedy guys, as I have seen too many I was excited about fail to make much of an impact. That includes Marquise who I was very high on (although he made an impact his overall body of work is pretty unremarkable). Worthy could end up in KC and I still would not move him up. This is not to say he cannot help an offense, just my personal preference to undervalue this category of receiver.

 

[LawFitz]

SO many slot WRs in this draft. True outside alphas are way fewer.

 

[JohnnyU]

SO many slot WRs in this draft. True outside alphas are way fewer.

I think "Alpha WR" has been redefined in the NFL. I don't think outside alphas means as much as it used to.

 

[socrates]

He had a great freshman breakout year

Being that skinny. That's super impressive. Really, really impressive.

We looking at Xavier Legette over here, looks like a Greek God. Took this mope FIVE YEARS to do anything approaching Worthy's freshman year.

I am not underestimating this guy.

It's like when Ogden Phipps won the coin toss against Penny Chenery, who ended up with the foal Secretariat, he said, "The horse I ended up with was the prettiest horse in the stable, but couldn't outrun my accountant". So, "looks like a Greek God (referring to Leggett)", doesn't mean squat.

Some background for those that don't know what I'm talking about.

The winner of the coin toss between Ogden Phipps and Penny Chenery in 1969 was Phipps and he chose from the recently born foal of the sire Bold Ruler and the mare Hasty Matelda, Penny Chenery, the loser of the coin toss, would get a second foal from Bold Ruler with Somethingroyal, which turned out to be Secretariat. Phipps won the coin toss, but Chenery won for the record books

So as far as fantasy football goes, sometimes it's just plan ole luck and just because someone looks like a "Greek God", doesn't mean he's the best horse in the barn.

Fair points, LOL. I trust that Xavier Legette would outrun most Accountants, but I get your point. Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane prospects have tantalized us for years.

I think the other Xavier, Xavier Worthy, may end up providing more value to an NFL team as a field stretcher than a stat stuffer. He is more than just a track guy playing WR, but we have said that about plenty of other receiving prospects, including John Ross (Ross scored 18 TDs in his final college season and parlayed his record-setting 40 time into a Top 10 draft selection). Worthy’s lack of size and scoring production are legitimate concerns, IMO, but the rest of his profile, including his early breakout age, provide some reason for optimism. It scares me that one of the closest profiles to Worthy is Marquise Brown, but I think there is some DeSean Jackson upside to Worthy's game.

 

[massraider]

It scares me that one of the closest profiles to Worthy is Marquise Brown, but I think there is some DeSean Jackson upside to Worthy's game.

I feel like he has a lot more utility underneath than those guys when they came out.

When you watch him, he never really leaves his feet to catch the ball, he's thinking about YAC.

 

[socrates]

It scares me that one of the closest profiles to Worthy is Marquise Brown, but I think there is some DeSean Jackson upside to Worthy's game.

I feel like he has a lot more utility underneath than those guys when they came out.

When you watch him, he never really leaves his feet to catch the ball, he's thinking about YAC.

Great points! Worthy also does not bring the same injury history with him.

EDIT TO ADD: I don't think Worthy will make his living in the NFL going across the middle, although he may not be limited to go routes, either.

 

[Chaos34]

I think the push back against over valuing speed has many people under valuing it. His speed makes him a + route runner. The comments upstream about him not being a good route runner are wrong. Very wrong. The point of route running is getting open, getting separation. I've said this a few times, but watching Texas was different because the 2 wrs got open so easily. EASILY. McConkey runs more technical routes than Worthy, but there's many examples of him doing so and being smothered by top corners. Not so much with Worthy. One video I watched recently the analyst keeps noting the dbs are "paranoid" of the speed. Worthy's best route is probably a hook. He presses the corner with speed selling the go, stops on a dime, hooks, and has 5 yards of separation. It's probably the most difficult route to stop of any route any wr in this class runs. He has a complete route tree too. Sideline awareness is another one of his strengths. He runs a crisp out and makes difficult catches look easy, often slamming the breaks and heading upfield where 90% of wrs just take it out of bounds. His ball tracking is high level. He's got that corndog route that ended the Super Bowl down pat too. It's not all speed and cuts either, he drifts casually into zones and flashes into the opening seamlessly. Little man has a stiff arm and good contact balance too so RAC is better than just the jets. He's good high pointing the ball and not body catching it, but he has too many concentration drops likely stemming from running before the catch.

All this praise aside, he's no DeSean Jackson. He's probably not a great fantasy option. I guess this depends on team. He'll miss snaps where run blocking wrs are needed. He will be a valuable asset to your favorite team working out of the common 3x1 sets, and that value is the attention he'll get making the other receivers better. Cooks did this for CeeDee last season. Worthy did it for Mitchell last season.

The latest mock at 33rd team has him going 18th to Cincy as WR5 in the class. That's a reach. Even if he goes nearly that high, I love what he'll do for his new team, but not our fantasy teams.

The Mock Draft Guy does a mostly reasonable take and the vid highlights his route running. Mostly reasonable because he summarizes by doing the DeSean Jackson thing.

 

[travdogg]

I think the push back against over valuing speed has many people under valuing it. His speed makes him a + route runner. The comments upstream about him not being a good route runner are wrong. Very wrong. The point of route running is getting open, getting separation. I've said this a few times, but watching Texas was different because the 2 wrs got open so easily. EASILY. McConkey runs more technical routes than Worthy, but there's many examples of him doing so and being smothered by top corners. Not so much with Worthy. One video I watched recently the analyst keeps noting the dbs are "paranoid" of the speed. Worthy's best route is probably a hook. He presses the corner with speed selling the go, stops on a dime, hooks, and has 5 yards of separation. It's probably the most difficult route to stop of any route any wr in this class runs. He has a complete route tree too. Sideline awareness is another one of his strengths. He runs a crisp out and makes difficult catches look easy, often slamming the breaks and heading upfield where 90% of wrs just take it out of bounds. His ball tracking is high level. He's got that corndog route that ended the Super Bowl down pat too. It's not all speed and cuts either, he drifts casually into zones and flashes into the opening seamlessly. Little man has a stiff arm and good contact balance too so RAC is better than just the jets. He's good high pointing the ball and not body catching it, but he has too many concentration drops likely stemming from running before the catch.

All this praise aside, he's no DeSean Jackson. He's probably not a great fantasy option. I guess this depends on team. He'll miss snaps where run blocking wrs are needed. He will be a valuable asset to your favorite team working out of the common 3x1 sets, and that value is the attention he'll get making the other receivers better. Cooks did this for CeeDee last season. Worthy did it for Mitchell last season.

The latest mock at 33rd team has him going 18th to Cincy as WR5 in the class. That's a reach. Even if he goes nearly that high, I love what he'll do for his new team, but not our fantasy teams.

The Mock Draft Guy does a mostly reasonable take and the vid highlights his route running. Mostly reasonable because he summarizes by doing the DeSean Jackson thing.

I agree with much of this, but I will disagree that Worthy doesn't get smothered by CBs, I think its much more of an issue for Worthy than McConkey to be honest. If Worthy gets off the line clean he's super dangerous, and I totally agree with his tracking skills, but he gets stood up a lot, and not just by top CBs. I don't see any answers to it in his game either. Like its a 50-50 bet he'll either get jammed or he won't. He's a guy I think is gonna need to be in motion or stacked frequently, unless he either A) gets a lot bigger/stronger, or B) greatly improves his hand fighting.

I also will agree that his NFL role will likely be that of dangerous decoy. Much like what I'm expecting of Hollywood Brown in KC. 1-2 deep shots a game, and a quick hitter here and there, but mostly clearing out for other guys. I will disagree that Worthy's hitch route is the most difficult route to stop in this class. That is Harrison's slant route, where he's basically mastered the Michael Thomas esq subtle push, where suddenly he's created 3-4 yards at the catch point.

I love his speed and his stop and go ability, and I will agree his RAC is sneaky good, as he has good balance for such a small dude. But I think his route running is one dimensional, and he's basically erased in the middle of the field. For me, he's a late 2nd, early 3rd round pick. I think so highly of this class. I made a similar point in the Rice thread. This isn't a bad draft for a WR needy team to take 2 guys in the top-3 rounds. There's like 20 guys in this class who look like NFL starters.

 

[Chaos34]

I think the push back against over valuing speed has many people under valuing it. His speed makes him a + route runner. The comments upstream about him not being a good route runner are wrong. Very wrong. The point of route running is getting open, getting separation. I've said this a few times, but watching Texas was different because the 2 wrs got open so easily. EASILY. McConkey runs more technical routes than Worthy, but there's many examples of him doing so and being smothered by top corners. Not so much with Worthy. One video I watched recently the analyst keeps noting the dbs are "paranoid" of the speed. Worthy's best route is probably a hook. He presses the corner with speed selling the go, stops on a dime, hooks, and has 5 yards of separation. It's probably the most difficult route to stop of any route any wr in this class runs. He has a complete route tree too. Sideline awareness is another one of his strengths. He runs a crisp out and makes difficult catches look easy, often slamming the breaks and heading upfield where 90% of wrs just take it out of bounds. His ball tracking is high level. He's got that corndog route that ended the Super Bowl down pat too. It's not all speed and cuts either, he drifts casually into zones and flashes into the opening seamlessly. Little man has a stiff arm and good contact balance too so RAC is better than just the jets. He's good high pointing the ball and not body catching it, but he has too many concentration drops likely stemming from running before the catch.

All this praise aside, he's no DeSean Jackson. He's probably not a great fantasy option. I guess this depends on team. He'll miss snaps where run blocking wrs are needed. He will be a valuable asset to your favorite team working out of the common 3x1 sets, and that value is the attention he'll get making the other receivers better. Cooks did this for CeeDee last season. Worthy did it for Mitchell last season.

The latest mock at 33rd team has him going 18th to Cincy as WR5 in the class. That's a reach. Even if he goes nearly that high, I love what he'll do for his new team, but not our fantasy teams.

The Mock Draft Guy does a mostly reasonable take and the vid highlights his route running. Mostly reasonable because he summarizes by doing the DeSean Jackson thing.

I agree with much of this, but I will disagree that Worthy doesn't get smothered by CBs, I think its much more of an issue for Worthy than McConkey to be honest. If Worthy gets off the line clean he's super dangerous, and I totally agree with his tracking skills, but he gets stood up a lot, and not just by top CBs. I don't see any answers to it in his game either. Like its a 50-50 bet he'll either get jammed or he won't. He's a guy I think is gonna need to be in motion or stacked frequently, unless he either A) gets a lot bigger/stronger, or B) greatly improves his hand fighting.

I also will agree that his NFL role will likely be that of dangerous decoy. Much like what I'm expecting of Hollywood Brown in KC. 1-2 deep shots a game, and a quick hitter here and there, but mostly clearing out for other guys. I will disagree that Worthy's hitch route is the most difficult route to stop in this class. That is Harrison's slant route, where he's basically mastered the Michael Thomas esq subtle push, where suddenly he's created 3-4 yards at the catch point.

I love his speed and his stop and go ability, and I will agree his RAC is sneaky good, as he has good balance for such a small dude. But I think his route running is one dimensional, and he's basically erased in the middle of the field. For me, he's a late 2nd, early 3rd round pick. I think so highly of this class. I made a similar point in the Rice thread. This isn't a bad draft for a WR needy team to take 2 guys in the top-3 rounds. There's like 20 guys in this class who look like NFL starters.

I agree with much of this. I guess I didn't explain McConkey being smothered where Worthy wasn't. I wasn't referring to press coverage. I just noticed many times after a good release McConkey ran a technical route and the corner had no problem smothering it. When Worthy got a good release he got open.

Welp, in NFL.com's fresh mock he's now going to KC who moves up to get him at 19 making him WR4. Wth, I thought I liked him too much, but this is getting silly.

I won't argue Harrison's slant vs Worthy's hook, cuz no sense going round and round. But a good point is both receivers run some filthy routes...

Dern you travdogg, I just watched a truncated game vs Oklahoma.... then vs Alabama... then the semi against Washington. Instead of March Madness! Pffff...

Sorry but I have to push back against the bold. You're just wrong. lol It is what it is. No offense. His route running has been very good since he was a freshman. He has the whole route tree in his arsenal, bragged about it, then showed it at his pro day. He has been playing wr since he was 6. It's the opposite of one dimensional. In those three games he was frequently open and doing most of his damage over the middle. He was pressed once against Oklahoma and burned double coverage for a long score. Alabama has two 1st round cbs. They both pressed him twice. He released clean all 4 times. Arnold is a really really good corner and did smother his routes. Kool-Aid pressed him at the 3 and Worthy broke his ankles and cleared for what should have been an easy td... just a bit outside. His hands are an issue. I know he was playing with a broken hand some, but I don't know when. Washington pressed him once. He beat the press and turned it into a 40 yard play. From what I saw he just wasn't pressed much in three years. NFL corners are another story for sure, but NFL schemes have changed.

Here's some random observations from a quick google:

"With an ability to weaponize his burst and breakaway speed, Worthy can win deep, separate out of breaks with full-speed route cuts or stick his foot in the ground and fly with the ball in his hands," NFL analyst Dane Brugler said.

"He tracks the ball well, but he won't win many 50-50 situations and needs space at the catch point to be effective."

True dat, and good thing he creates that needed space. The two bolds are why I foolishly say he sometimes looks like Tyreek. Like Tyreek his skinny post is ridiculously good. Sells the go, presses the dbs, uses leverage with some shifts and hesitation, bursts into full speed breaks. It's pretty sick.

Eric Wells at PrimeTimeSports: "He understands soft spots in zones and works his way into them."

This describes my favorite play. His route running is savvy and nuanced. In this play he doesn't use speed or quicks to get wide open. He just patiently waits for the zone to clear, loaps into it (over the middle) makes the catch, breaks a tackle, then hits the jets for a long td.

Roto Street Journal describes him: Xavier Worthy is a dynamic player known for his route-running skills and elite vertical track speed. He excels as a separator and ball tracker, showcasing fluidity in his movements and a knack for accelerating rapidly.

From Triton Times sports editor: But it’s not just Worthy’s impressive stats that have caught the attention of NFL scouts and coaches. His speed, agility, and route-running prowess make him a perfect fit for teams looking to bolster their aerial attack. Franchises like the Kansas City Chiefs have already shown keen interest in Worthy, conducting private workouts to assess his potential impact on the field.

Would be funny if the Chiefs do move up for him and make him WR4. If he can only achieve his floor, he's part MVS and part Toney.

 

[JohnnyU]

If he is there at 15 I can see the Colts taking him.

 

[Faust]

2024 NFL Draft prospect profile: Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas

 

[Chaos34]

Matt Waldman on Worthy:

He fights the ball more than some realize. He also makes alot of difficult catches more than some realize. He tracks the ball well with his back to the quarterback. His tracking is up there with Rome Odunze. He kinda falls in the range of Isaac Bruce and DeSean Jackson. Like those guys, he's tough at the catch point. His toughness belies his size. He's fearless over the middle. He wins targets that bigger receivers lose. At the boundary, over the middle getting his legs cut, ping ponging against defenders, getting hard contact... he wins.

It's true you see him making inexcusable drops then making tough catches. He's really competitive. There's no doubt he has good hands. The drops bug me more than his size or possible issues against nfl press coverage. Those are easy to overcome with scheme, playing him off the LoS, putting him in motion, in bunch formations, etc. He also seems like a great teammate. Very enthusiastic for the success of his mates. Moreso than most.

 

[JohnnyU]

Matt Waldman on Worthy:

He fights the ball more than some realize. He also makes alot of difficult catches more than some realize. He tracks the ball well with his back to the quarterback. His tracking is up there with Rome Odunze. He kinda falls in the range of Isaac Bruce and DeSean Jackson. Like those guys, he's tough at the catch point. His toughness belies his size. He's fearless over the middle. He wins targets that bigger receivers lose. At the boundary, over the middle getting his legs cut, ping ponging against defenders, getting hard contact... he wins.

It's true you see him making inexcusable drops then making tough catches. He's really competitive. There's no doubt he has good hands. The drops bug me more than his size or possible issues against nfl press coverage. Those are easy to overcome with scheme, playing him off the LoS, putting him in motion, in bunch formations, etc. He also seems like a great teammate. Very enthusiastic for the success of his mates. Moreso than most.

He struggled with drops 2 years ago because of a broken hand. How many drops did he have in 2023?

 

[Chaos34]

Matt Waldman on Worthy:

He fights the ball more than some realize. He also makes alot of difficult catches more than some realize. He tracks the ball well with his back to the quarterback. His tracking is up there with Rome Odunze. He kinda falls in the range of Isaac Bruce and DeSean Jackson. Like those guys, he's tough at the catch point. His toughness belies his size. He's fearless over the middle. He wins targets that bigger receivers lose. At the boundary, over the middle getting his legs cut, ping ponging against defenders, getting hard contact... he wins.

It's true you see him making inexcusable drops then making tough catches. He's really competitive. There's no doubt he has good hands. The drops bug me more than his size or possible issues against nfl press coverage. Those are easy to overcome with scheme, playing him off the LoS, putting him in motion, in bunch formations, etc. He also seems like a great teammate. Very enthusiastic for the success of his mates. Moreso than most.

He struggled with drops 2 years ago because of a broken hand. How many drops did he have in 2023?

I don't know the official number. In an "all targets for 2023" video, that may or may not have truly been all, I counted 4. A couple of them were short throws, wide open, chest to qb, standing still, between the numbers and doh.

Another is in the endzone where he beats Kool-Aid badly and just whiffs. He needed to be taller.

Then he beats a guy deep. The ball is a little underthrown letting the db make up ground. DB grabs his shoulder pad, then grabs his facemask, cranks his neck so Worthy cannot possibly see the ball, and he makes the catch. Wth.

 

[JohnnyU]

Matt Waldman on Worthy:

He fights the ball more than some realize. He also makes alot of difficult catches more than some realize. He tracks the ball well with his back to the quarterback. His tracking is up there with Rome Odunze. He kinda falls in the range of Isaac Bruce and DeSean Jackson. Like those guys, he's tough at the catch point. His toughness belies his size. He's fearless over the middle. He wins targets that bigger receivers lose. At the boundary, over the middle getting his legs cut, ping ponging against defenders, getting hard contact... he wins.

It's true you see him making inexcusable drops then making tough catches. He's really competitive. There's no doubt he has good hands. The drops bug me more than his size or possible issues against nfl press coverage. Those are easy to overcome with scheme, playing him off the LoS, putting him in motion, in bunch formations, etc. He also seems like a great teammate. Very enthusiastic for the success of his mates. Moreso than most.

He struggled with drops 2 years ago because of a broken hand. How many drops did he have in 2023?

I don't know the official number. In an "all targets for 2023" video, that may or may not have truly been all, I counted 4. A couple of them were short throws, wide open, chest to qb, standing still, between the numbers and doh.

Another is in the endzone where he beats Kool-Aid badly and just whiffs. He needed to be taller.

Then he beats a guy deep. The ball is a little underthrown letting the db make up ground. DB grabs his shoulder pad, then grabs his facemask, cranks his neck so Worthy cannot possibly see the ball, and he makes the catch. Wth.

Doesn't sound like fumble fingers in 2023.

 

[finfansteve]

Something tells me with the right location this guy becomes a superstar

 

[Faust]

Ian Rapoport
Xavier Worthy — who set the Combine ablaze in the 40 — is visiting the #Colts today.

https://x.com/rapsheet/status/1778784929305784579?s=61