Instant NFL Draft grades: KC Chiefs earn high marks for Xavier Worthy selection

Xavier Worthy is not even old enough to drink yet, but the Kansas City Chiefs invested in the Texas speedster on Thursday night by drafting him 28th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. A trade-up with the Buffalo Bills, a surprising partner, ensured the Chiefs selected Worthy.

Analysts and fans knew Worthy's name far and wide this spring after his electric combine performance in Indianapolis. Between the trade and the Chief's decision following the trade, this was a perfect scenario for Kansas City.

Kansas City entered this year's draft with a clear need at wide receiver. The legal issues surrounding Rashee Rice only exacerbated the situation. Thursday night's draft saw several wide receivers fall within striking range for general manager Brett Veach. The Chiefs war room had to be salivating after Worthy made it past the 23rd overall pick, and they identified their top rookie addition to the pass-catching corps.

Kansas City picking the Texas alum is a solid choice, in a vacuum. However, it only looks stronger considering the offensive attack he is participating in.

You cannot underestimate the impact of pairing Worthy with Hollywood Brown. The pairing's speed alone will force conservative approaches from defensive coordinators and more two-high defensive looks. That set will also open the short-to-intermediate game further for Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce, while Isiah Pacheco will punish lighter boxes.

Worthy is a true home-run wideout, not just with his physical tools, but also with his skillset. He has sharp routes up and down the tree, rarely drops the ball, and tracks the deep ball extremely well. His slight frame does not make him a run-blocking asset or reliable press coverage beater, but where he excels makes up for that.

Chiefs fans have to love this pick, as head coach Andy Reid now has two viable deep-ball threats once again. This team upgraded from Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman to Brown and Worthy. That is a massive improvement, and it only helps Kansas City's three-peat quest.

INSTANT GRADE: A