2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Texas WR Xavier Worthy

From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. This scouting report is on Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy.

#1 XAVIER WORTHY, WR, TEXAS – (JUNIOR) 5110, 165 LBS.

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Possesses good play speed, burst, and explosiveness
— Can accelerate to stack defenders vertically as well as after the catch
— Has a diverse release package to separate from defensive backs
— Quickly eats the cushion of defenders in off coverage
— Stems routes well and gets in and out of his breaks quickly
— Utilized in the slot as well at out wide
— Can stretch the field up the sideline or down the seam
— YAC threat on quick screens and short passes near the line of scrimmage
— Can go up and get jump balls as well as lay out for passes in front of him
— Displays good body control along the boundary and in the air
— Explosive punt returner who is a threat to house it if he sees green grass
— Has been utilized on jet sweeps and on routes out of the backfield

THE BAD

— Extremely thin frame relative to his height
— Will often go down on first contact
— Physical press corners will smother him at the line
— Struggles to make catches outside of his framework at times
— Lack of size may force him to play strictly in the slot at the next level
— Shows low interest as a blocker

BIO

— Junior prospect from Fresno, Calif.
— Born April 27, 2003 (age 20)
— Rivals.com four-star prospect, 2021 All-American Bowl invite
— Helped Central East win its first-ever CIF Division 1-AA state championship after a 15-0 season in 2019
— Also competed in track and field; set a personal record with a 10.55 100-meter dash time as a sophomore
— Originally committed to Michigan but changed to Texas
— Second-highest valued receiver via NIL, just $100,000 behind Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.
— Started all 12 games in 2021 and had 62 receptions for 981 yards and 12 touchdowns
— Started 13 games in 2022 and totaled 60 receptions for 760 yards and nine touchdowns; threw a 33-yard touchdown pass and returned 15 punts for 146 yards (9.7 avg.) with a long of 29 yards
— Started all 14 games in 2023 and totaled 75 receptions for 1,014 receiving yards with five touchdowns; returned 22 punts for 371 yards (16.9 avg.) with a 74-yard touchdown return
— Physical culture and sports major
— Freshman All-American (2021), Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year (2021), two-time first-team All-Big 12 (2021, 2023), Second-team All-Big 12 (2022)

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Xavier Worthy may have missed his senior season in high school, but he quickly made up for lost time after arriving in Austin to play for the Longhorns. Worthy started as a true freshman and played in and started 39 games during his three-year career. His 26 career touchdown receptions rank third in school history. He made his impact as a dynamic receiver and returner, showcasing his track-and-field background on the gridiron in the Burnt Orange.

When you pop in the tape on Worthy, you see a fast, explosive receiver who can stretch the field as well as create after the catch. Worthy was a track star in the state of California, showcasing his exceptional speed and burst. You see that speed on tape as well, like in the clip below. Worthy lines up in the slot against Alabama and shows great burst once the ball is snapped, eating ground quickly as the streaks down the seam. After getting an angle on the deep safety, he reels in the long pass over the shoulder for the score.

Worthy also shows his speed in his release packages off the line, quickly eating the cushion of defensive backs tasked with covering him. He can stack defenders vertically up the sideline, like you see in the first clip against TCU. After getting on top of the corner tasked with covering him, Worthy makes the catch deep in Horned Frogs territory. On the second clip, you see Worthy quickly get on the defender’s toes after minimizing the space between him and the defensive back. Breaking toward the sideline to generate separation, he makes the catch along the boundary with the defender attempting to break up the pass.

If defenders don’t get their hands on Worthy at the line of scrimmage, he can present some real problems. Watch this rep against Washington where Worthy lines up in the slot before running a slot fade against the nickel defender. Giving him a stutter step at the top of his route before breaking outside, he gets a step of separation to make the catch down the sideline before getting dragged down from behind.

Worthy can be a filthy route runner thanks to his stop/start quickness along with his ability to drop his hips and change directions with ease. Here are a couple of plays against Iowa State and another rep against Kansas State where we see Worthy’s route-running prowess. The first clip against Iowa State shows Worthy running the whip route to perfection, selling inside as he jabs the ground to break back outside for the easy touchdown. Against Kansas State, we see Worthy run the post corner route seamlessly as well, breaking inside before whipping back to the outside to make the catch in the back of the end zone.

Worthy is as much of a threat after the catch on short passes as he is on long bombs, having the speed and acceleration to take it the distance if he gets open grass. Here are a couple of examples of Texas trying to feed Worthy the ball in the screen game against Alabama. Notice how Worthy attempts to follow his blockers in these clips but lacks that physical strength and bulk to fight through the contact.

Another underrated aspect of Worthy’s game is his value on special teams, having over 500 punt return yards under his belt the last two seasons as Texas’ primary punt returner. He also managed to house one in 2023 against BYU. After catching the ball, he weaves through the punt-coverage unit, showing off his speed and vision as he takes the return 74 yards for a touchdown.

While there is a lot to like about Worthy as a prospect, he does have some deficiencies in his game. He is painfully thin for his height — that might explain the dearth of combative catches from his tape — and does not get down and dirty as a blocker in the running game. He also doesn’t have the greatest build to make catches outside of his framework, occasionally missing balls like the one below against the Crimson Tide, which could have gone for a touchdown.

CONCLUSION

Xavier Worthy is a dynamic, explosive receiver who will thrive in an open aerial attack at the next level. His size may make teams apprehensive about playing him on the outside, but he logged a 37.7 slot percentage and a 62.1 out wide percentage, suggesting he can do both if asked to do so. He will provide a deep threat who can also hurt opposing defenses in the screen game as well with his speed after the catch. Combining athleticism with savvy route running savvy, he is a legit threat in all quadrants of the field.

When coming up with a pro comparison for Worthy, Tank Dell of the Houston Texans stood out. A third-round draft pick in 2023, he is a player of shorter stature but nearly similar height while also being a dynamic all-around receiver. Dell, who also excelled as a return man, lit up the league as a rookie before suffering a season-ending injury.

Worthy could have a similar impact if given the opportunity to contribute his rookie season. The Steelers need to add more speed and explosiveness to the position and Worthy is a more polished route runner than Calvin Austin III is at this stage of his career. Pittsburgh could look to draft Worthy to compete for the slot job as a rookie with the potential to take over opposite George Pickens should the team not re-sign Diontae Johnson after the 2024 season.

Projection: Day 2
Depot Draft Grade: 8.3 – Future Quality Starter (Second Round)
Games Watched: at Alabama (2023), at TCU (2023), vs Washington (2023), vs Iowa State (2023)