The 2024 NFL Scouting Combine wrapped up this past week and brought about some noteworthy developments for this year’s draft class. Every year, certain prospects see their draft stock rise based on their combine performance while others’ stock takes a hit.
Arguably the most-watched drill of the combine is the 40-yard dash. Over the weekend, wide receiver Xavier Worthy out of Texas set a new 40-yard dash record with a time of 4.21 seconds. That broke the previous record of 4.22 seconds held by John Ross in 2017.
In doing so, Worthy put his name on the map for a national audience and could see his stock rise as a result. In timely fashion, the Ravens are reportedly expected to host Worthy for a Top-30 draft visit in the coming days, per Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler.
Source: The Baltimore Ravens are expected to host Texas WR Xavier Worthy on a Top 30 visit in the coming days.
Electric athlete at the WR position.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) March 4, 2024
Worthy’s 40-yard dash performance appeared to have caught the eye of Ravens’ General Manager Eric DeCosta, as he was seen looking on with binoculars.
Eric DeCosta after Xavier Worthy’s 40 yard dash pic.twitter.com/EJJ46TAcbz
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) March 2, 2024
Worthy played three seasons for the Longhorns and posted career-highs in receptions (75) and receiving yards (1,014) in 2023. The 20-year-old speedster had 60+ catches in each season at Texas while also scoring 26 combined touchdowns.
Prior to the combine, most mock drafts had Worthy projected as a second or third-round pick. He possesses elite speed and athleticism at 6-foot-1, but there are concerns given his slight frame and issues with drops throughout college. However, even in a wildly talented and deep wide receiver draft class, Worthy could emerge as a big riser.
The Ravens are expected to be in the market for another wide receiver this offseason and Eric DeCosta has typically used the draft as an avenue to add pass-catcher talent. In three of his five drafts since becoming the team’s general manager, the Ravens have selected a wideout in the first round.
DeCosta has also drafted two wide receivers in the third round and has taken a wideout in general in all but one of his draft classes. Worthy profiles somewhat similarly to recent Ravens’ first-round picks Marquise Brown and Zay Flowers just based on his speed and athletic profile alone.
One of the third-round wide receiver selections DeCosta previously made was another Texas alum in Devin Duvernay (2020), who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this month. With veteran Odell Beckham Jr. also hitting free agency, the Ravens current depth chart consists of Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, and Tylan Wallace.