Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy stole the show during the NFL Combine and =put himself on the radar of receiver-needy teams like the Chiefs, Panthers, and countless others. Widely considered to be a Day 2 prospect heading into the big event, the speedster elevated his draft stock with a record-setting 4.21-second 40-yard dash. Worthy’s film is littered with examples of his game-breaking speed, but nobody expected him to put up such ridiculous numbers.
While anything can happen between now and the 2024 NFL Draft, most analysts believe that Worthy will go off the board at either the end of the first round or early in the second round. Recently, the wide receiver discussed his ideal NFL landing spots, and while most players dodge questions like these, Worthy made it clear that he’s hoping one specific team drafts him.
“In a perfect world, I would definitely want to go to the Chiefs,” Worthy said. “Just the way Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs improvise and use you. They had Tyreek Hill. The way they used him, I feel like that would be a perfect fit for me.”
Xavier Worthy Hopes Chiefs Select Him In 2024 NFL Draft
On paper, Xavier Worthy and the Chiefs could be a lethal duo. There is only one Tyreek Hill, and Worthy is not going to be as historically dominant as the five-time First-Team-All-Pro. With that in mind, he won’t need to be that unstoppable to be a massive upgrade for this offense.
Kansas City has one of the worst wide receiver groups in the league. While Rashee Rice showed plenty of promise as a rookie, this team needs another vertical weapon. Marquez Valdes-Scantling came up big in the playoffs, but Xavier Worthy can be a much more consistent threat for the Chiefs.
Additionally, Xavier Worthy should go off the board right when the Chiefs are on the clock. Even though Worthy is the fastest receiver in this class, he’s not going to experience a John Ross type of bump to his draft stock. At 5′-11″ and 166 pounds, he’s well undersized for the position and isn’t going to surpass guys like Marvin Harrison or Malik Nabers in the draft rankings, so he should go off the board near the back of the first round.
Of course, the Chiefs won’t be the only team interested in Xavier Worthy. In today’s pass-happy NFL, you can never have too many reliable pass-catchers, and these five teams should all be interested in adding the Texas product.
Best Team Fits
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers need help at wide receiver in the worst way. While Adam Thielen had a decent season, everyone else on the depth chart looked like they had never before played the game of football. Bryce Young had one of the lowest average depth of targets last year, and a big reason for that was the lack of downfield threats in this offense. Xavier Worthy has the speed to get open deep, and his explosive play should also create more throwing lanes closer to the line of scrimmage.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens knocked it out of the park with the Zay Flowers selection. Now, they could go back to the wide receiver well and take a shot on Xavier Worthy before the Chiefs are even on the board. While Baltimore had one of the league’s better offenses last year, they never found a true replacement for Marquise Brown. With Odell Beckham unlikely to return, this team needs a third receiving threat to pair with Flowers and star tight end Mark Andrews.
New England Patriots
As of this posting, the only wide receiver on the Patriots roster to show any type of promise is former sixth-round pick Demario Douglas. That’s not a good thing. Douglas is a fine gadget player with dangerous shiftiness, but he shouldn’t be the top option in any passing attack. With Tyquan Thornton looking like a bust, the Patriots could look for a new deep threat in Xavier Worthy.
Buffalo Bills
Stefon Diggs is slowing down, Gabriel Davis is probably gone, and the Bills don’t have the cap space to sign a good receiver in free agency. This leaves the NFL Draft as Buffalo’s only realistic way to improve their wide receiver depth chart. There is no part of the football field that Josh Allen cannot reach, so having a player who can outrun any coverage is a match made in heaven. Additionally, by drafting Xavier Worthy with their first-round pick, the Bills can also prevent the Chiefs from adding a natural fit for the Tyreek Hill role.
Los Angeles Chargers
Even if Mike Williams and Keenan Allen both return in 2024, this team will need to add some speed at wide receiver. Both players are among the slowest starting wideouts in the league, and this team shouldn’t rely on Quentin Johnston to do anything in Year 2. Much like Allen, Justin Herbert has one of the strongest arms in the game and should be able to hit Xavier Worthy on any part of the field.
Main Photo: Aaron E. Martinez – USA Today Sports
