Xavier Worthy wants to be more than just a speedster, and his numbers say he is

Xavier Worthy will go down in history for his elite speed, setting the NFL Combine record in the 40-yard dash over the weekend.

When Worthy’s 40-yard dash time went official, he secured the record with a 4.21 run to best John Ross’ 4.22 in 2017. Worthy is just the 5th player all time to clock in under 4.25 at the combine.

In a recent interview with Rich Eisen, Worthy reflected on his time in Indianapolis. The wide receiver admitted it was “a huge moment” for himself and his family but his overall goal at the combine was to show more than just his speed.

Worthy revealed he had interviews with 23-24 teams and understands a lot of people already knew about his speed:

“My main goal for interviews was to have teams look at me differently as a football player. I feel like a lot of people knew I had the speed, but I feel like a lot of people don’t know I have the smarts that come with the speed and the ability to do everything,” said Worthy.

Part of his interview process included breaking down his film, but Worthy said he tried to take things a step further by breaking down the individual tasks for each player on the field. Per Worthy, he believes he knocked the interviews out of the park.

“In interviews, I was breaking down what the o-line did, what the running backs had, what the tight ends had, what every receiver had. Where the ball should have gone, what the coverage was,” Worthy explained.

While Worthy was previously not included in the top group of wide receivers for the 2024 NFL Draft, his NFL Combine performance may boost his stock into the first round. Fans can track the latest odds for April’s draft with SDS’s best online sportsbooks.

Is Worthy a speedster or a complete receiver?

Worthy certainly set out with a goal in mind at the combine, and it sounds like he achieved that goal. Yes, the speed is elite, but his numbers speak to a receiver with more than just speed.

Across 3 seasons at Texas, Worthy produced over 2,700 yards and 26 touchdowns with at least 60 catches every season. That kind of production in a power conference is bound to get anyone a strong look in the draft, and that’s before accounting for his now record-breaking speed.

It’s also inaccurate to say Worthy did most of his work against lesser competition.

As a true freshman, he delivered 3 touchdowns against Texas Tech and 261 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns against Oklahoma. In two games against Alabama, Worthy produced 172 receiving yards and a touchdown, and he also delivered 10 catches for 137 yards against TCU.

None of that guarantees success at the NFL level. However, Worthy is far from just another combine wonder destined to be a bust.

If he does land with a team toward the end of the first round, it’s likely Worthy has a strong chance to make an immediate impact as a rookie in one of the most-talented WR classes in recent history.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.