The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Xavier Worthy selected in first round of NFL Draft by Kansas City Chiefs
04.25.2024 | Football
Texas WR Xavier Worthy was selected in the first round with the 28th overall pick.
DETROIT – Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 28th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday evening.
Worthy is the 47th first-round NFL draft choice in Texas history. He is the first Longhorn wide receiver selected in first-round of the NFL Draft since Roy Williams in 2004 (7th/Lions) and just the third Texas wide receiver taken in the first round in the history of the common draft (Johnny "Lam" Jones/2nd/Jets/1980). Worthy joins Byron Murphy II as a 2024 first-round pick, marking the first time Texas had two first-rounders in an NFL Draft since doing that for four-straight years from 2004-07.
He is the 10th Longhorn drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs, who selected defensive lineman Keondre Coburn in the sixth round of the 2023 draft. Worthy is the second Longhorn to be chosen in the first round by the Chiefs, joining linebacker Derrick Johnson who was selected 15th overall in 2005.
"Xavier is a perfect fit in that explosive Chiefs offense," said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian." He obviously has electric, world class speed and clearly is a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball, but he probably plays with more toughness than people give him credit for. He's got the plethora of the route tree he can run, really understands coverages, is a highly intelligent football player, and can absolutely run all day. He really dedicated himself to grow in all facets of his game in his three years with us and became a great leader, too. He had a great freshman year where he made an immediate impact, but I loved the perseverance he showed coming out of year two when he dealt with some injuries, and then what he was able to do last year. He was a critical part of all the success we had – the Big 12 Championship, College Football Playoff and having one of the best offenses in the country. He made big plays, critical catches, was a much-improved blocker, and just did it all for us every time out.
"It goes without saying, the speed is real and will make a big-time difference in the NFL. And the thing about Xavier is he ran that time, but that's the way he practices every single day. Every rep is full speed. He has the ability to take the top off the defense, but he's much more than that. He has tremendous route running ability and is a tireless worker at that. He has a very high football IQ and is extremely competitive. He gives you flexibility in the punt return game because he was a gamebreaker in that area, too. X is going to be an outstanding pro in every way, and Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the two-time Super Bowl Champions got them a great player and person. I'm so fired up to watch him in the NFL, he's got a great career ahead of him and is in an awesome place for his skillset."
A skilled receiver and returner specialist, Worthy earned second-team All-America honors in 2023 as a punt returner from the Football Writers Association of America and The Sporting News, and as an all-purpose player by the American Football Coaches Association. He named to the Associated Press All-America Third Team as an all-purpose player.
A native of Fresno, Calif., Worthy appeared in and started 39 games for Texas. He ranks third in program history with 26 touchdown receptions, fourth all-time in career receiving yards (2,755), sixth in receptions (197) and eighth in punt return yards (564). A three-team All-Big 12 selection, he had a reception in 39 consecutive games, the third-longest streak in UT history. As a punt return specialist, Worthy had the second-best punt return average for a career (14.5) and season (16.9 in 2023) in program history.
As a junior last season, Worthy was a first-team All-Big 12 selection by the conference's coaches and AP after recording career highs with 75 receptions and 1,014 receiving yards while also hauling in five touchdowns. His 75 receptions were the seventh-most in a season in UT history and his 1,000-yard receiving season was the 11th ever for a Longhorn. Worthy also returned 22 punts for 371 yards (16.9 ypr) with a 74-yard touchdown return, registering the second-best punt return average in program history and the fifth-most punt return yards in a season in Texas history.
During his sophomore campaign in 2022, he earned second-team All-Big 12 honors after totaling 60 receptions for 760 yards and nine touchdowns. He also completed a pass for a 33-yard touchdown and returned 15 punts for 146 yards (9.7 ypr).
Worthy had a record-shattering freshman year for Texas in 2021, setting numerous UT freshman single-season marks, including receptions (62), receiving yards (981) and receiving touchdowns (12) on the way to All-Big 12 First Team and Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. On top of his single-season records, Worthy established Texas freshman single-game records for receptions (14), receiving yards (261) and receiving touchdowns (3, twice). Worthy's 12 receiving touchdowns are tied for the second-best tally in a season in UT history and were the most since Jordan Shipley's school record 13 in 2009. He had 261 receiving yards against Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown, the second-best single-game total ever for a Longhorn, and 14 receptions against Kansas that tied for the second-best mark in a game in Texas Football history, one shy of Shipley's record of 15.
A two-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll, Worthy was named to the 2022 Academic All-Big 12 First Team and the 2021-22 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team.
NFL DRAFT NOTES
First Round Draft Picks
- Texas had two players selected in the first round for the first time since 2007
- It marked the 11th time UT had two players selected in the first round of the NFL Draft
- The first Longhorn chosen with the 28th overall selection
All-Time Longhorn WRs picked in the first round
- Xavier Worthy (Kansas City, 2024)
- Roy Williams (Detroit, 2004)
- Johnny "Lam" Jones (New York Jets, 1980)
Other Notes
• Worthy is the 358th Longhorn selected in the NFL Draft.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
On what he brings to Kansas City:
I'm coming with the mentality to work hard and earn my spot in the locker room. I feel like I'm a complete receiver. I can run the whole route tree, disciplined, smart, know the game really well, so I feel like I bring a complete receiver to Kansas City.
On pre-draft discussions with Kansas City:
I talked to the Chiefs at the Combine, and that was probably the only time I talked to them. Just knowing it was a possibility, I just kept my hopes alive, and it happened.
On his game besides speed:
I feel like downfield, is a given, but that the intermediate and actual route tree that I can run it all, and I feel like I'm effective with it all. Bubble screens, reverses, anywhere the ball touches my hands, I feel like I can make a play.
On the excitement of the people around him and himself getting to play with Patrick Mahomes:
I've been calling it and I've been saying it since the beginning of the year that I was going to be going to the Chiefs. Everyone thought I the rest of the NFL was never going to let the Chiefs get to me, but I'm here. I'm excited to get to play with Pat, and seeing the success that Tyreek Hill had with this offense, I feel like it's amazing.
On DeSean Jackson being his favorite player growing up and being selected by the same coach as him:
It just makes it makes me at ease to see a coach who drafted a guy similar to me, and (Jackson) having the success that he had in the system with Andy Reid, so it's just amazing to be able to have a coach who actually gets you as a player since he had that player before.
On his toughness:
I'm a small player, so I pride myself on being a difference maker and somebody who's going to make a play whether that's being tough, making a big play blocking or receiving the ball or special teams, anything. So, I just pride myself on heart, and I feel like that's what motivates me and makes me different.
On saying he was going to be a Chief at the beginning of the year:
So, at the beginning of the year, everybody's dream is to play with Patrick Mahomes who's one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, so just to be able to play with him, everybody talks about it, but I've been saying it for a while, 'I'm going to be a Chief.' So, I just it put it in the air and now I'm here, it's amazing.
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid
We think (Xavier) is a heck of a football player, number one. He does different things, is a good wide receiver, and also a good special teams returner, and he'll end up doing both to start things out with us. He'll work into that wide receiver rotation and give Matt (Nagy) another weapon to use.
We had marked Xavier that we wanted him, and we just felt that as we started getting down there that someone might jump us and pick him up. Brett (Veach) does a great job with this, he's got a good feel for the people who might have interest in that position in that area and then where he needs to go to attack it.
He's a good route runner. He's not a big kid, at least weight wise, he's got good height, he's just not very heavy, but I think you'll see this toughness that he's got, it jumped out at me. Then when you talk to his coach – Coach Sarkisian and I are close – he kept talking about how smart he was, he had great football instincts, and he's a tremendous worker. In this offense, you've got to be able to do that and have those characteristics.
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Plays outside receiver, in the slot, and can even return punts.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 26, 2024
Chiefs Kingdom, meet @XavierWorthy!
Good morning. Here's every Xavier Worthy touchdown 🤘@XavierWorthy x @Chiefs x #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/7dvn3gsWI7
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 26, 2024
Next stop: Kansas City@XavierWorthy x @Chiefs x #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/1QUJPwTINK
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 26, 2024
The moment @XavierWorthy became a Kansas City Chief 💛 pic.twitter.com/LD3sFbWFnB
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 26, 2024
The fastest 40-yard dash. EVER. pic.twitter.com/OwknQHhtSE
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 26, 2024
Chiefs Kingdom, how we feelin'?!? pic.twitter.com/jNtENOnWRx
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 26, 2024
🏃🏽♂️
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) April 26, 2024
With the No. 28 overall pick in the 2024 @NFLDraft, the @Chiefs select Xavier Worthy! @NewEraCap
— NFL (@NFL) April 26, 2024
📺: #NFLDraft on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/0cNGviaf1n
The only one Worthy.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) April 26, 2024
With the 28th pick in the NFL Draft, we have selected @XavierWorthy! pic.twitter.com/enRBDQAVA5
The moment the pick was made 🤘@XavierWorthy
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 26, 2024
📺 2024 #NFLDraft – April 25-27 on NFL Network/ESPN/ABC. pic.twitter.com/Dk3StVorda
ATX 🤝 KC #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Ut3pBOSFac
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 26, 2024
Xavier Worthy is a Kansas City Chief 🤘@XavierWorthy X @Chiefs pic.twitter.com/FlFUHBMOCD
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 26, 2024
