At the 2024 NFL Combine, Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy broke the official record for the fastest 40-yard dash with a time of 4.21 seconds, breaking the record previously held by John Ross. How does Worthy’s 40-yard dash time affect his stock?
Xavier Worthy Breaks Record With 4.21 40-Yard Dash
On Saturday, the vaunted 2024 NFL Draft WR class tested at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. The class is stocked to the brim with high-level athletes, but Worthy separated himself as a cut above with his 40-yard dash time.
Worthy has always been a superlative speed threat, and his 40-yard dash was heavily anticipated. Now that his time is official, it’s safe to say he didn’t disappoint. Worthy officially ran a 4.21 40-yard dash on his second attempt, breaking the record previously held by Bengals first-round pick Ross.
4.22u
XAVIER WORTHY.
📺: #NFLCombine on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/IrXf3WyemB— NFL (@NFL) March 2, 2024
Worthy did weigh in at 165 pounds, slightly less than his listed weight. He also measured in at 5’11 1/4″, almost two inches shorter than his listed height at Texas. But that doesn’t diminish the significance of his accomplishment.
Worthy’s generational speed played a large part in him producing right away at the collegiate level. After joining the Texas Longhorns as a highly-touted recruit, Worthy logged 62 receptions, 981 yards, and 12 touchdowns as a true freshman.
The following year, Worthy stacked 60 catches for 760 yards and nine touchdowns to his career totals, and he finished his collegiate career with a career-high 75 catches and 1,014 yards in 2023.
Despite sharing touches with fellow NFL Combine standout Adonai “AD” Mitchell, Worthy managed to lead the Longhorns in receiving production, and he leveraged that production into an early 2024 NFL Draft declaration.
Where will Worthy be drafted now? 👀👀#NFLCombine
📷 Credit: @NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/ustoJcl9w9— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) March 2, 2024
On PFN’s 2024 NFL Draft board, Worthy is a potential top-five WR prospect in a loaded class. His speed is the obvious top selling point on his profile, but Worthy’s route running is sometimes sorely underrated as a result.
As described in Worthy’s scouting report at PFN: “He’s a hyper-elite speed threat with the long strides to chew up space in an instant, but he also knows how to use that speed to scare DBs out of optimal leverage as a route runner, and he has the bend and nuance to capitalize.”
GET DRAFTING: Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator With Trades
That speed is now Combine verified, locked into the record books. And it could be an accelerant for Worthy’s stock as a potential Round 1 pick.
All the 2024 NFL Draft resources you need — the draft order, the top QBs, the Top 100 prospects, and the full 2024 Big Board — right at your fingertips at Pro Football Network!
Listen to the PFN Scouting Podcast
Listen to the PFN Scouting Podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen, or you can find the PFN Scouting Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a five-star review! Rather watch instead? Check out the PFN Scouting Podcast on our Scouting YouTube channel.