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There’s a lot of talk about the Las Vegas Raiders needing a quarterback, cornerback and offensive lineman in the draft this year but not much attention has been given to their need at wide receiver. The team released Hunter Renfrow this offseason and DeAndre Carter is still a free agent.
The Raiders haven’t shown much interest in free agent wide receivers this offseason and could decide to address the position in the draft. Derrik Klassen of Bleacher Report believes that Texas’ Xavier Worthy is a fit in Las Vegas.
“There’s not much explanation needed for someone who breaks the 40-yard dash record,” Klassen wrote in a March 28 column. “Small as he may be, Xavier Worthy is speed personified and plenty explosive to boot. There’s something to him as a route-runner, too. He falls somewhere along the Mecole Hardman to Jameson Williams spectrum.”
Worthy recently made waves at the NFL Scouting Combine when he ran a 4.21 40-yard dash, which broke the record of 4.22 previously held by John Ross. If the Raiders franchise is known for anything, it’s for valuing speed at skill positions. Worthy would certainly be a fit in that regard. That said, the Raiders already have wide receiver Tre Tucker on the roster, who is one of the fastest players in the NFL.
What Round Is Xavier Worthy Going to Get Drafted?
The history of the NFL draft is ripe with fast wide receivers who get drafted too high due to their speed and never live up to their draft position. It seems that teams may have learned from the past not many mock drafts feature Xavier Worthy being selected in the first round. In a recent mock draft from Josh Edwards of CBS Sports, Worthy fell to the middle of the second round.
However, there is reason to believe that Worthy can be successful in the NFL. He’s had over 700 receiving yards in each of his three seasons at Texas so he can make plays. There could be a team that’s dazzled by his speed and decides to use a late first-round pick on him but he’s still likely to drop to the second round.
Draft Profile on Xavier Worthy
One concern with Xaiver Worthy is his lack of size. He only weighs 165 pounds, which is very lean for an NFL player. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com detailed why this could be an issue for teams.
“Worthy’s draft slotting could come down to draft-room debates weighing his elite speed versus his thin frame,” Zierlein wrote in a scouting report. “Worthy will find separation if allowed to explore vertically or across the hashes against man coverage, but he lacks play strength and release quickness to defeat a quality NFL press. His quick-strike potential adds an element of danger over the top and should open wider windows for teammates to work into. He lacks the physical tools to catch when contested and needs to prove he can hold up to a more physical brand of football. Worthy is a niche prospect for teams looking to add a legit field-stretcher, but areas of concern could create a wider gap between ceiling and floor.”
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