Xavier Worthy could go 'higher than people expect' in 2024 NFL Draft

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy might soar up draft boards, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The speedster wideout seems to be the next man up after the top three of Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze. Worthy stood out during Texas’ run to the College Football Playoff this past season.

Now, he could be a first round pick and go earlier than expected.

“Xavier Worthy, the fastest player in the draft,” Fowler said Saturday on SportsCenter. “Blew up the combine, blazing speed. When I asked teams who they think will be the fourth receiver taken after Odunze and those guys we just talked about, he’s the name that comes up most often. There are others like LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. that will be in the mix there in the first round. But (Worthy is) a player who could go higher than people expect.”

While Worthy climbs draft boards, there’s some hesitancy to rank him alongside the top three wide receivers. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said “there’s a drop off” after the top three.

“Make no mistake, there’s three and then there’s a gap,” Kiper said when he revealed his latest mock draft. “There’s a dropoff. Brian Thomas Jr. isn’t Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze or Marvin Harrison Jr. And Xavier Worthy, AD Mitchell and Xavier Legette — the list goes on and on — they are not in that tier, that top tier of these super elite wide receivers.”

He added, “and if you’re Arizona, you’re losing those three by moving to 11 (if they trade with the Vikings).”

Worthy had another banner year for Texas in 2023. He finished the season with 75 catches, 1,014 yards, five touchdowns and 13.5 yards per catch.

Over the course of his career, Worthy had 197 catches, 2,755 yards, 26 touchdowns and 14 yards per catch.

As a member of the Class of 2021, Worthy was a four-star recruit out of Fresno (Calif.) Central East, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 3 overall prospect in the state, the No. 7 wide receiver in the class and the No. 55 overall prospect in the class.

The NFL Draft is scheduled for April 25th through the 27th in Detroit. Worthy could very well go on day one at this point.