2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Miami WR Xavier Restrepo

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to 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, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Miami WR Xavier Restrepo.

NO. 7 XAVIER RESTREPO, WR, MIAMI (FL) (R-SENIOR) — 5100, 198 POUNDS

SENIOR BOWL INVITE 

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

— Possesses good speed and quickness for the position
— Plays with impressive grit and aggressiveness for being undersized
— Ideal slot receiver for the next level
— Impressive route runner who gets in and out of his breaks seamlessly
— Sells the fake on his route to get defenders to commit before coming out of his break
— Can stop, start, and change direction suddenly as a route runner
— Impressive spatial awareness in coverage to make plays on the ball
— Plays far bigger than his size than his listed in contested catch situations
— Has strong hands at the catch point to make catches in traffic
— Can make acrobatic catches in the air and adjust to off-target balls
— Has an impressive catch radius for his size
— Has good speed off the line and builds up speed as he continues his route
— Does a good job stretching the field up the seam as well as working over the middle
— Is a willing blocker who aggressively throws his face in the fan
— Will seek out defenders to block and lead with the shoulder or lock on their shoulder pads

THE BAD

— Lacks the ideal height, length, and size you look for in the position
— Possess good speed, but doesn’t have that rare second gear speed
— Size limitations may make him seen as a slot-only player at the next level
— Willing blocker, but can do a better job of consistently leading with his hands
— Lack of height and wingspan can be concerning when facing NFL-caliber corners

BIO

— Redshirt senior from Coconut Creek, FL
— Born April 22, 2002 (age 22)
— Sociology major
— Four-star prospect by Rivals
— Started playing football at age 4, credits work ethic and passion for the game to his father 
— Had a 4.0 GPA in high school, 1300 on the SAT
— Played both ways in high school, being used as a versatile weapon that had over 500 passing yards, over 3,000 receiving yards, and over 2,500 rushing yards in high school career with 48 total touchdowns
— Played in nine games in 2020 and had one reception for 12 yards
— Played in 12 games in 2021 and totaled 24 catches for 373 yards and two touchdowns
— Played in seven games in 2022 and had 21 catches for 240 yards and two touchdowns, missed five games with a foot injury
— Started all 13 games in 2023 and had 85 catches (single-season record) for 1,092 yards and six touchdowns
— Started 12 games in 2024 and had 69 catches for 1,127 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns
— Finished career as Miami’s all-time leading receiver in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns
— Consensus First-team All-American (2024), 2× First-team All-ACC (2023, 2024)

TAPE BREAKDOWN

Xavier Restrepo has been living, eating, and breathing football since he could walk, and that’s no exaggeration. Having started playing tackle football at the age of 4, Restrepo became a versatile playmaker on both sides of the ball in high school. That translated to college, where he went on to win the University of Miami’s Triple Crown for career receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.

When you pop in the tape on Restrepo, you see a dynamic playmaker who doesn’t let his size define him. He plays much bigger than his 5100, 198-pound frame would suggest, which shows up in combative catch situations. Watch Restrepo below as he runs a quick out from the slot to the corner of the end zone against Louisville, elevating into the air and catching the pass overtop of the defender for six.

Restrepo has a unique blend of competitiveness and finesse. He has the skill set to fight through tough coverage and make plays above the rim. Watch this clip below against Texas A&M as Restrepo fights through coverage. He works back toward the sideline and makes the grab over the defender’s head in coverage. He manages to get both feet down in bounds before falling out to pick up the first down.

Restrepo is a gritty receiver who can make plays both down the seam and over the middle of the field, with defenders rallying to him to contest the pass. Watch the play below against Virginia Tech as Restrepo runs up the seam and makes the catch on the jump ball while the safety hits him as the ball arrives, completing the catch.

That grit also shows up for Restrepo as a blocker, having the demeanor to seek out defenders to get a body in an attempt to spring his fellow playmakers. Watch the clip below as Restrepo gets hands on one defender before working off to pick up another block, dropping his shoulder into the safety coming downhill to de-cleat the defender.

Restrepo does a good job working against man coverage to get a step of separation on his man and is able to make catches outside of his framework in close proximity to the coverage. Watch the clip below as Restrepo runs a deep over across the field, getting a step of separation on the coverage defender, and makes the catch along the sideline with outstretched hands to move the chains.

Restrepo is a nuanced route runner at the position, but that shiftiness also shows up after the catch. Check out this move Restrepo makes against Florida after securing the catch, putting two defenders in a spin cycle to get up the sideline and pick up additional yardage after the catch.

One of Restrepo’s best traits as a receiver is the ability to adjust to off-target throws and contort his body in such a way as to make catches when most pass catchers wouldn’t be able to make the play. In the first clip, we see Restrepo adjust to a pass thrown behind him, making the grab on the split-second adjustment back to the ball. In the second clip, we see Restrepo slip and fall on his route but manage to snag the pass out of the air on his back to prevent the defender from making a play on the ball in the air.

CONCLUSION

Xavier Restrepo is a polished slot receiver who is a perfect slot option in the league. Although his lack of ideal size and length may give teams some concern, his tape shows that he can play much bigger than his listed height and weight. He has a gritty mentality as a pass catcher and can shake defenders out of their cleats with his route-running savvy.

When finding a pro comp for Restrepo, I found plenty of similarities between his game and Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions. Like Restrepo, St. Brown is considered undersized by most standards, but he plays much bigger than his size suggests. He is a gladiator over the middle while possessing good play strength. St. Brown is a willing blocker and a good route runner, making combative catches in traffic very similar to Restrepo when he was in college and now in the league.

Pittsburgh needs to add to their wide receiver corps this offseason, and Restrepo could be an ideal target on Day 2 of the draft. They drafted WR Roman Wilson, who is built in a similar mold as Restrepo as a smaller receiver, but that shouldn’t deter them from considering taking the Miami product as Wilson has yet to prove himself on an NFL field, missing most of his rookie season.

Projection: Day Two
Depot Draft Grade: 8.5 — Future Quality Starter (Second Round)
Games Watched: at Virginia Tech (2024), at Florida (2024), vs Texas A&M (2024)