The New York Giants spent much of the 2023 off-season adding speed to their offense. Their efforts didn’t bear fruit in the regular season, but the thought process was a sound one. Some of the best offenses in the NFL focus on getting the ball to explosive playmakers and creating room for them to work.
Much of the focus for the Giants with the receiver position has been about adding size, but what if they want to continue to add raw speed instead?
In that case, they might focus on Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who might be the fastest player in NFL history the moment he takes the field.
Prospect: Xavier Worthy (1)
Games Watched: vs. Alabama (2023), vs. Oklahoma (2023), vs. BYU (2023), vs. Kansas State (2023)
Measurables
Kent Lee Platte (@mathbomb) | RAS.football
Strengths
- Speed
- Explosiveness
- Agility
- Contact balance
- Run after catch
Worthy is an explosively athletic and competitive receiving prospect.
Worthy will enter the NFL as one of the – if not the – fastest players in league history. He has already set the Combine record for the 40-yard dash at 4.21 seconds and his speed shows up on tape. He’s both quick from a standing start and has the ability to open his stride and run away from most defenders.
That speed makes Worthy a dire threat as a deep threat, as he can run through most DB cushions almost before they have a chance to react, as well as force deep safeties to cheat to his side. It also makes him a legitimate threat in run-after-catch situations despite his size. Worthy has surprising contact balance as a ball carrier and was able to run through contact or bounce off poor tackle attempts multiple times in the tape viewed.
And while Worthy wasn’t asked to run a diverse route tree, he does show some upside as a route runner. He attempts to throw off defenders with fakes and misdirection prior to his cuts. He also has sharp cuts and crisp breaks thanks to his lack of mass, agility, and explosiveness.
Finally, Worthy is a very competitive and high-energy player. He gives full effort on every play, celebrates his teammates’ success, fights for the ball as a receiver, and fights for every inch as a ball carrier.
Weaknesses
- Size
- Catch consistency
- Play strength
Worthy is very small. He has adequate length at 5-foot-11 with 31-inch arms, but he has an undeniably slight frame. It’s also very unlikely that he’ll be able to add much (if any) muscle to his frame without compromising the explosive athleticism that defines his game.
Worthy has very limited play strength, which shows up throughout his game. His routes can be disturbed by contact early on – though that will be less of an issue at the NFL level due to pass interference rules. However, he may need to be schemed free releases against press-man coverage to avoid good jams. Likewise, he can also be bullied at the catch point by average sized defensive backs if they have tight coverage. Worthy’s frame and lack of strength also give him trouble in contested catch situations. He’s unable to box out opponents and struggles to out-fight them for the ball. Instead, he can be knocked away or have the ball knocked out of his hands.
He also has inconsistent catch mechanics. Worthy can be prone to mistiming his catches, closing his hands too early or struggling to hang on to balls that are at the perimeter of his catch radius.
Worthy ran a limited route tree at Texas that was largely divided between wide receiver screens and deep routes, with a smattering of intermediate routes sprinkled in. He will likely need to expand his route tree at the NFL level.
Finally, and perhaps obviously, Worthy simply should not be asked to block.
Game Tape
Projection
Worthy’s draft stock will vary wildly from team to team. More than many players in this draft, he’ll need to land in the right system in order to truly flourish.
Worthy can be a primary offensive weapon for a team that uses alignment, pre-snap motion, and route concepts to create space for playmakers. His speed and explosiveness will make him a threat to all areas of the field for a team that operates a “New West Coast” offense. However, teams that value size and physicality, with an eye toward winning one-on-one matchups or blocking on the perimeter will struggle to see a fit for Worthy.
It’s also notable that Worthy is a very young player. He won’t turn 21 until the 3rd day of the draft. He may yet continue to grow and fill out, and he could certainly use coaching to hone his craft and become a better technician as a receiver.
His speed and playmaking ability are incredibly intriguing. However, the team that drafts him will need a plan to employ him, as well as a quick and precise quarterback, in place to maximize his potential.
Does he fit the Giants?
Potentially, if the Giants want to focus on adding raw speed to their passing game.
Final Word: A solid Day 2 value
2024-03-22 18:00:00
#NFL #Draft #prospect #profile #Xavier #Worthy #Texas
