Xavier Worthy, new 40-yard dash record holder, reveals who he ‘modeled my game after’

Entering the NFL Scouting Combine, everyone knew Xavier Worthy was the fastest receiver in this draft class.

The only question was whether he would make history?

The Texas Longhorn did exactly that when he ran a 4.21-second 40-yard dash, the fastest ever recorded at the combine.

Worthy surpassed John Ross of Washington, the ninth selection of the 2017 NFL Draft, by just one-hundredth of a second.

Ross parlayed his record-breaking performance into a top-10 selection later that year, although he never panned out in the league.

Worthy has studied one player in particular.

And it makes sense that the player was a dynamic speedster with a flair for the dramatic.

“I modeled my game after DeSean Jackson,” Worthy told FanDuel TV’s “Up & Adams.” “He’s my go-to. Whenever I need to look at film or anything, I’ll look at him.

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“Just how smart he is. He’s a really smart football player. I feel like people don’t give him credit for that. Just him understanding leverage and just what he does with the ball in his hands. I feel like I kinda took that into my game. Put the ball in my hands, I feel like I’m dangerous from anywhere on the field.”

Jackson was known for his big-play potential. He had at least one 50-yard reception in all but one of his 15 seasons, had at least a 70-yard catch in nine of them and led the NFL in yards per reception four times.

His best play might have been the Miracle at the Meadowlands II in 2010, when he returned a punt for a touchdown as time expired against the New York Giants shortly after muffing it, completing a comeback from down three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

While it remains to be seen if Worthy can live up to his football role model, he seems to be on a decent path.

In his third and final season at Texas, Worthy posted career highs with 75 receptions for 1,014 yards. In his career, he had 197 catches for 2,755 yards and 26 touchdowns.

His Longhorns won the Big 12 last season, earning them a trip to the College Football Playoff.

Worthy was named to the Big 12 first team last season, his second such nod. He also made the first team in 2021 and the second team in 2022.

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