Alabama Becomes Latest School to Offer 2021 WR Xavier Worthy: "It is a Great Place for Receivers"

One would be hard pressed to find a high school prospect whose stock has risen as much as Xavier Worthy's has this spring.

The 6-foot-1, 160 pound, four-star wide receiver has picked up offers from the University of Alabama and Georgia in just this week alone. Over the last two months or so, Auburn, Tennessee, Michigan, Washington State, UNLV, Nebraska, USC, and Utah, among others have also extended scholarships to the California native.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban was the one who informed Worthy of his opportunity with the team on Wednesday.

"It was big," Worthy said. "I grew up watching Alabama so it was huge to know that I had an offer from them. They have been a top school for a while."

Worthy says the conversation went really well, and he appreciated the fact that Saban geared it toward life outside of the gridiron.

"We really did not talk that much about football to be honest," Worthy said. "We talked about character and how he wants to build character in life after football. I really liked that aspect of it."

When they did talk about football specifically, Saban laid out what Worthy could bring to the table.

"Coach Saban said I reminded him of DeVonta Smith," Worthy said. "We have the same body type and play very similarly. With my speed, he said I could find a role in the offense they run."

Worthy's speed is undeniable. The rising senior ran a 10.55 second 100 meter as a sophomore, which is faster than former Alabama wide out and Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III's reported personal best of 10.58.

As a junior at Central East High School in Fresno, Calif., Worthy caught 55 passes for 995 yards and 16 touchdowns. That explosive talent caught the eye of Crimson Tide assistants Holmon Wiggins and Freddie Roach, who first reached out to the speedster on Twitter.

"They want to see what kind of person I am," Worthy said. "They are similar to Coach Saban in that, they care more about life after football. They tell me about what Alabama can for me outside of the game."

In early April, Worthy had announced a list of final schools that included Oregon State, Washington, Fresno State, Oregon, Washington, and Utah. But with more SEC powers getting into the mix, that list is ever changing.

"Very high," Worthy said of where Alabama ranks in his top schools. "Very high. You know they had two wide receivers go in the first round of the draft this year, and they could have two more go next year, so it is just a really great school for receivers."

While growing up and watching the Crimson Tide on television, Worthy says his favorite former Alabama pass catchers is the duo that the Atlanta Falcons currently employ.

"Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley," Worthy said. "I love the way they work and how they carry themselves."

According to Worthy, during the dead period, he has heard the most from the Crimson Tide, Georgia, Michigan, Fresno State, Oregon, and Auburn. He tells Bama Central a new top six will be released in late July or August.

The current Alabama roster has three players native to the Golden State — quarterback Bryce Young, running back Najee Harris, and offensive lineman Tommy Brown. Playing alongside the talented freshman, Young, is appealing for Worthy.

"First and foremost, Bryce Young is a really good quarterback," Worthy said. "A quarterback definitely plays a role in it. I want to have a guy there that I can bond and vibe with."

The COVID-19 outbreak has not messed up Worthy's recruiting visits greatly as he was already planning to take his trips in July. Now, he says, Alabama will certainly get a visit if possible.

"I have never been to the state before," Worthy said. "So I definitely want to see what it is like. I want to see the environment with the players, coaches, and the academics of course."