1-on-1 with Xavier Worthy: Fresno native talks record-setting combine, NFL Draft

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- If there was an Academy Award for the fastest man at the NFL Combine, Fresno native Xavier Worthy would be your runaway winner.

For more than 40 years, thousands of prospects have run the 40-yard dash at the combine, but nobody has ever been faster than Worthy.

"It was kind of shocking, but it wasn't too shocking for me," Worthy said.

The Central High grad turned Texas wideout ran a blistering 4.25 on his first attempt.

A time so good, that some questioned if he should even go for a second run.

"When I was doing my practice 40s my first 40 was always like .4 or like .3 slower so I'm like when I ran the 4.25 I'm like okay I ran 4.25, but my training I normally run faster on the second by like .4, .3 so I can either tie the record or break it," Worthy said.

Worthy would break it - running an official time of 4.21 seconds - beating Jon Ross's record of 4.22 set in 2017.

The record would also break the internet.

REACTIONS: Central High graduate Xavier Worthy breaks NFL Combine 40-yard dash record

"I had rappers text me, former people in the league text me, people in the league text me... there was a lot of buzz going on," Worthy said.

Despite all the praise, Worthy is keeping his feet on the ground.

"Chips never going to go away. I feel like once the people kind of gave me the chip on my shoulder it will never go away but I feel like I have still a lot to prove and I'm not worried about proving it," Worthy said.

A chip he credits to the last two years of his high school experience turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"No senior prom, no formal, no nothing so I feel like just had a lot of sacrifices so I really just don't want all this to be for nothing," Worthy said.

The former Grizzly also feels his time in Austin prepared him for life in the NFL.

"When I was looking at teams' playbook I'm like oh this is the exact playbook that Texas uses, just different words," Worthy said. "Literally, it's like they handed them the playbook and changed the words."

With three years of big-time college football under his belt, Worthy has already set out lofty goals for whichever team calls his name in April's draft.

"Obviously, my first goal is to reach 1,000 yards that would be my first goal but overall goal is being inducted into the hall of fame. That's why I love football, how much I care about the game," Worthy said.

But regardless of what new city he wears across his jersey, he won't forget the place he calls home.

"If you're from Fresno you know like Fresno gets overlooked a lot. I feel like we have a lot of athletes that kind of get overlooked and overshadowed," Worthy said. "To be able to make it out and do this and do whatever I'm doing on the big stage I am now is just huge for me."

And before draft day in Detroit, Worthy is making sure to come back to the Central Valley.

"I'm coming, when I come back to Fresno I have something set up. Actually, I'm doing a camp so I don't have the details but I will have details on it soon," Worthy said.

Round one of the NFL Draft starts Thursday, April 25 at 5:00 p.m. on ABC30.

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