Kansas City Chiefs select Xavier Worthy in first round of 2024 NFL Draft
The Kansas City Chiefs traded up to select speedy Longhorn receiver Xavier Worthy, opting for the fastest player ever clocked for the NFL Draft.
The Chiefs selected Worthy No. 28 overall, trading picks No. 32, 95 and 221 to the Bills for the 28th pick, along with picks 133 and 248.
Worthy cemented his draft status in early March when he ran a 4.21-second time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. Fans at Lucas Oil Stadium gave Worthy a standing ovation as he broke the combine record of 4.22, previously owned by John Ross.
What else did Worthy bring to the table besides his blazing, glorius speed? Lots of experience and plenty of video of his game-changing catches. Plus, he also can return kicks and punts.
He started 39 games during his three seasons with the Longhorns. He made an immediate impact. But that was expected from Worthy who On3 ranked as the second-best receiver prospect in the country in the class of 2021. In the On3 industry composite, the speedster ranked as the 56th best player in the country and seventh best receiver.
Worthy caught 26 touchdown passes in his UT career, which ranks third in school history. His career yardage of 2,755 ranks fourth. He caught 197 passes in his career, which ended up as sixth best in Longhorn history.
The receiver earned freshman All-America honors in 2021. In 2022, he played the later half of the season with a broken hand. But he partnered with Georgia transfer Adonai Mitchell to give Texas a potent receiving duo in 2023.
What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Xavier Worthy
Worthy became a favorite of ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper, who added him to his first round mocks after the combine.
“When you have a guy like this — can he control his speed? He can control it,” Kiper said. “Is he consistent catching the football? Yes, for the most part. He had a broken hand and he had some drops two years ago with that (broken hand) late in the year. When he’s healthy, he is a fear factor player. (His) 4.21 speed translates to the field. You can get him on jet sweeps, reverses, get him in space, move him around and he is a nightmare to try to corral in the open field.”
The lone negative is Worthy’s wispy physique. He’s only 165 pounds, so can he withstand everyday, NFL wear-and-year. But you can’t tackle what you can’t catch.
Lance Zierlein, a draft analyst for the NFL Network, noted Worthy’s lack of size.
“Worthy’s draft slotting could come down to draft-room debates weighing his elite speed versus his thin frame. Worthy will find separation if allowed to explore vertically or across the hashes against man coverage, but he lacks play strength and release quickness to defeat a quality NFL press.
“His quick-strike potential adds an element of danger over the top and should open wider windows for teammates to work into,” Zierlein wrote. “He lacks the physical tools to catch when contested and needs to prove he can hold up to a more physical brand of football. Worthy is a niche prospect for teams looking to add a legit field-stretcher, but areas of concern could create a wider gap between ceiling and floor.