49ers absolutely must avoid this speedy wide receiver in 1st round of NFL Draft

The first round of the NFL Draft is this Thursday, April 25. The San Francisco 49ers will make the 31st selection overall.

They absolutely must avoid wide receiver Xavier Worthy with this pick.

49ers absolutely must avoid Xavier Worthy in 1st round of NFL Draft

This is nothing against Worthy as he seems like a fine player. However, he does not fit into the scheme the Niners have. Even though he has great speed, the 49ers must resist the temptation to draft him if he is still available when it is their turn.

In college at Texas, Worthy was a solid contributor. In his final season, he had over 1,000 receiving yards and five touchdown catches. He stands at 5-foot-11 inches and weighs 165 pounds. His 40-yard dash time was 4.21, which is very impressive and set a new NFL Scouting Combine record.

However, the 49ers should not be tempted by this speed.

In their offense, which does not often rely on the deep pass, 40-yard dash times do not mean as much. What matters is how fast a guy is when he has the ball in his hands.

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel did not have the quickest 40-yard dash as he clocked in at 4.48 seconds back in 2019. Yet, we have seen him blow guys away when he has the ball in his hands. The 49ers offense is all about yards after the catch, and it is not clear that Worthy possesses that skill.

Plus, according to Bleacher Report, Worthy’s skinny frame and questionable effort are question marks hanging over him that could affect his value. He also does not usually get a lot of yards after contact, which is another area the Niners excel in.

The 49ers already tried to develop a speedy deep threat in Danny Gray, and that has not panned out at all. He has been injured, yes, but things have not been great on the field either as he only has one catch since he was drafted in 2022.

Wide receiver could definitely be a position the 49ers go after in the NFL draft. If Brandon Aiyuk is not traded and plays in 2024, their top three are still solid. However, they could probably benefit from one more depth piece who could grow into a top receiver down the line. 

That receiver is not Worthy, though, which is why the team must avoid him at all costs in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Read more from Niner Noise