Kansas City Chiefs first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy is "off to a great start" with the team, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
"People I've talked to there in the building say he's soaking up the playbook, really good football character, so far so much more than just a speed guy," Fowler said Sunday on SportsCenter.
Fowler added the Chiefs pursued Zay Jones in free agency, with him instead signing a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals. Having Worthy hit the ground running helps to offset failing to land Jones.
Worthy had 2,755 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns in his three years at Texas. While a productive pass-catcher in college, his speed was probably the thing that propelled him into the first night of the 2024 NFL draft. The 21-year-old ran the fastest 40-yard dash on record at the NFL Scouting Combine.
NFL @NFLOFFICIAL: 4.21<br><br>XAVIER WORTHY HOLDS THE NEW 40-YARD DASH RECORD <a href="https://t.co/IrXf3WyemB">pic.twitter.com/IrXf3WyemB</a>
This kind of vertical dimension was lacking in Kansas City in 2023. Patrick Mahomes' 6.9 adjusted yards per attempt were his fewest since becoming a starter in the NFL, per Pro Football Reference. His 6.6 average intended air yards were also the sixth-fewest in the league, according to the NFL's Next Gen Stats.
Expecting him to perform like Tyreek Hill would be setting the bar far too high for Worthy, but it's easy to foresee him having a Hill-like impact in terms of making big plays down the field.
Based on Fowler's report, his role within the passing game will be more expansive than that as well.
