Joel Klatt claps back at people comparing Xavier Worthy to John Ross after NFL Scouting Combine
Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy made history at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis over the weekend, running the fastest 40-yard dash ever with a 4.21 second time to break a record previously held by John Ross.
Worthy’s record-breaking performance has naturally come with some comparisons to Ross, a former standout receiver at Washington whose NFL career didn’t quite live up to his top-10 selection in the 2017 NFL Draft. But college football analyst Joel Klatt believes that those comparisons are not necessarily fair ones between the two speedy wide receivers.
“It’s so hard because it’s like you break John Ross’ record if you want to call it that, and immediately it’s like well John Ross didn’t have a great NFL career. Touché,” Klatt said.
“Now John Ross only was a real effective weapon for Washington one season. Now it was a great season, I believe he had over 80 catches and over I think around 17 touchdowns I want to say. So he had a great year, didn’t play the year before that, it was basically one year.”
Ross was the Pac-12 Player of the Year and First-Team All-American in 2016 following his breakout season for the Huskies. Ending the year with 81 catches for 1,150 yards and 17 touchdowns after posting less than 20 catches in the previous two seasons he played in.
“Xavier’s been really productive for three years at Texas and I think he’s more complete than what John was coming out of Washington. So you may hear those comparisons but I think that those are manufactured and not appropriate,” Klatt explained.
Worthy burst onto the scene as a true freshman for Texas with 62 catches for 981 yards and 12 touchdowns, crowned the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and a Freshman All-American.
He followed that with a combined 135 catches for 1,774 yards and 14 scores in his next two seasons for the Longhorns. With Klatt believing that Worthy’s more complete body of work and skillset set him up better for success at the next level compared to Ross. Who has played in just 37 games with 62 catches, 957 yards, and 11 touchdowns since being drafted in 2017.
“Because Xavier’s a guy that can get it done catching the ball down the field and obviously as a deep threat with that type of speed it’s incredible and so beneficial by the way. In a deep group of wide receivers guess what?” Klatt asked.
“Xavier Worthy made himself money, maybe millions by running a 4.21.”