2024 NFL Draft grades: AFC West serves up shocking results in Round 1

Kansas City Chiefs Pick #28: Xavier Worthy (WR)

Grade: B+

Pros

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has elite, generational speed. On top of that, his natural route-running ability and desire to make contested catches deep downfield make him an interesting fit in Kansas City's offense. K.C. also signed former Ravens/Cardinals receiver Hollywood Brown, whose playing style is eerily similar, making him the perfect mentor.

Lastly, Worthy broke out when he was incredibly young. At age 18, Xavier had 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns on 61 receptions. That's more than fellow WR draftees Adonai Mitchell (Texas), Ladd McConkey (Georgia), and Rickey Pearsall (Florida) had in their 2023 seasons.

Con

By far the biggest concern is Worthy's size. Worthy measured in at 5'11" and weighed 165 lbs when he went to the NFL Combine, making him lighter than 96% of all receivers to ever come out for the draft. Adding to the concern, only one prospect in recent memory was able to excel with that frame (Tank Dell) and he has only shown that he can do so for a single season.

Another issue arises when we look at who was on the board at the time of the trade-up. Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Legette, and Ladd McConkey were still on the board when the selection was made, all of whom had higher consensus draft grades.

Grade

The only reason a B+ is necessary is due to the long-term availability and height/weight concerns outlined previously. If Worthy's game can translate to the NFL, his ceiling could be higher than rookie wide receiver sensation Tank Dell and K.C.'s newly acquired Hollywood Brown. If his game doesn't, he could be out of the league in a few years.