Xavier Worthy, the fastest receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft, ended up in the one place that many can’t believe he managed to get to in the Kansas City Chiefs. Still, since he did make it to them after they moved up to No. 28, Mel Kiper Jr. had to give credit where it was due for the selection.
Kiper graded Kansas City’s draft at a B+ on Monday during ‘First Draft’ with Field Yates. Their first-round choice of Worthy was a large reason why he went so positive considering what he brings to the position, especially now that he’ll be in the Chiefs’ offense.
“Yeah, I love what they did with Worthy,” Kiper said. “We’ve been raving about him. I know you were bashing him all through the process being at 165 pounds. You wanted him to put on some weight. Wou wanted him to start eating more and getting bigger and all that. But look at the ability here – the takeoff and the go get the football, the hand-eye coordination. And the fact that he’s tough. He’s not just a guy who has great speed and doesn’t love to play football, doesn’t love to take hits. This kid does.”
“I think he’s a great pick,” said Kiper.
It was such a solid selection that Kiper even had to question Buffalo, a rival of Kansas City, for being the one to trade with the Chiefs in order to for them to make the selection even though they themselves also could’ve taken him, let alone any receiver, at that spot.
“I was a little surprised that Buffalo didn’t take him,” Kiper admitted. “Just take the guy and let Kansas City get him.”
Worthy played three seasons at Texas and appeared in 39 games for the Longhorns. In that career, he caught 197 passes for 2,755 yards, which averages to 70.6 a game and 14 per catch, and 26 scores. He also returned 40 punts for 564 yards, good for 14.1 per return, and a score. All of numbers rank among the best in school history down on The 40 Acres.
All of that also made him an All-American and All-Big 12 Selection of varying levels in each season of his collegiate career.
That was before Worthy then tested during the evaluation and further impressed many. Of all the numbers he showed off, the most significant was his 4.21 run of the 40-yard dash. That time broke the all-time record at the NFL Combine.
Now, Worthy will be the newest weapon for, of all people, QB Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid with the Chiefs. He’ll take his place in an, at times as of late, questionable receiving corps yet one that was still good enough as part of an offense and team that has won two consecutive Super Bowls.
This was a pick that many could have predicted based on need and fit between Worthy and the Chiefs. That doesn’t make it any less of a quality decision by Kansas City, though, based on Kiper’s assessment of it.
“That’s a good pick,” Kiper said.
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