Xavier Worthy named one of On3's top 10 receivers in college football
As part of a look-ahead for the 2023 season, On3 is naming the top 10 players in all of college football at each position group. The Longhorns saw one of their own added to the list of wide receivers On3 considers the best of the best.
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Junior wide receiver Xavier Worthy was listed as the No. 2 wide receiver in college football in 2023, just behind Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. Worthy was the only Big 12 receiver included in the ranking and one of two players who play for an institution in the Lone Star State.
“The Longhorns star didn’t quite match his 2021 productivity, though some of that is almost certainly attributable to the injuries Texas had at quarterback,” the article says. “Still, Worthy is one of those receivers who seems to haul in anything thrown his direction. He finished 2022 with 60 catches for 760 yards and nine touchdowns.”
Worthy was the top target for either Hudson Card or Quinn Ewers throughout the 2022 season. He had only one 100-plus yard game during his sophomore campaign, a seven-catch, 119-yard, two-touchdown performance versus West Virginia. That was one of three games with two or more scores by the Fresno (Calif.) Central East product.
In spite of what the article says, Worthy did have his issues with drops during the 2022 season. PFF College ascribed seven to Worthy last year, with three notable occurrences in the Longhorns’ bowl game with Washington.
Worthy was still a player who opposing defenses had to respect on a weekly basis. He had a PFF offensive grade of 69.8 across 2022. He functioned as the main deep threat for the Longhorn offense, and though the hit rate on those passes was lower than desired, Worthy often put himself in a position to where the quarterback felt comfortable throwing it to him.
Worthy had 12 touchdown receptions during his freshman year in 2021, the second-most in a season by any receiver in school history and most by a freshman. He broke Roy Williams’ longstanding freshman record for receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns with 62 catches for 981 yards and 12 scores. He recorded one of three 200-plus receiving yard games in school history versus Oklahoma, with his nine-reception, 261-yard, three-score effort.
Rated as a five-star prospect by On3 in the 2021 class, Worthy was On3’s No. 18 overall prospect, No. 2 wide receiver, and No. 2 prospect from California.
