WATCH: Xavier Worthy Lights Up NFL Combine With Record-Setting 40-Yard Dash

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Step aside, John Ross. The NFL Combine has a new record-holder in the 40-yard dash.

Ross, a Washington product stole the show in 2017 when he posted a blistering 4.22 time in the 40.

But that record is no longer after Texas Longhorns star Xavier Worthy ran a 4.21 in his second attempt at the 40 on Saturday afternoon.

Worthy ran a 4.25 on his first attempt, which is blisteringly fast in its own right. But on attempt No. 2, he found another gear.

The 5-foot-11 1/4, 165-pound  posted what was unofficially clocked at 4.22, which would have tied Ross. But the time was later corrected to 4.21, giving him a spot on his own atop the record books.

Worthy’s 1.49-second 10-yard split also topped the 2024 NFL Combine.

So, how does that translate to the field?

Well, the Cincinnati Bengals used the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft on Ross. Five years and just 62 receptions later, he was out of the league.

Worthy will hope for a much more formidable career.

The Fresno, California native was wildly productive for the Longhorns. He caught 197 balls for 2,755 yards and 26 touchdowns in just three seasons in Austin.

“Worthy’s draft slotting could come down to draft-room debates weighing his elite speed versus his thin frame. Worthy will find separation if allowed to explore vertically or across the hashes against man coverage, but he lacks play strength and release quickness to defeat a quality NFL press,” Lance Zerlein of NFL.com says of Worthy. “His quick-strike potential adds an element of danger over the top and should open wider windows for teammates to work into. He lacks the physical tools to catch when contested and needs to prove he can hold up to a more physical brand of football. Worthy is a niche prospect for teams looking to add a legit field-stretcher, but areas of concern could create a wider gap between ceiling and floor.”

Something tells us more than one team will be happy to take a shot on that ceiling after his record-setting 40.