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Xavier Restrepo was one of the most dominant wide receivers in college football last season. The Miami Hurricanes star led his team in catches for a second straight year with 69.
He led the ACC in both yards (1,127) and touchdowns (11) as a senior. Now, his sights are set on the NFL.
Entering the offseason, he was considered one of the top options on big boards. His stock has since taken a bit of a hit.
One knock against the pass catcher is his size. At 5-foot-10, he doesn’t possess the typical height of a receiver on the outside. Still, he was able to overcome that disadvantage with speed, agility, and crisp route running at the NCAA level.
Last week, he competed in Miami’s annual Pro Day to flash his skillset to NFL scouts. His struggles in the event further tanked his outlook.
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Xavier Restrepo ran a 4.83 40-yard dash. That would’ve ranked near the bottom of the pack in terms of NFL Combine times.
Speculation on his stock immediately began trending on social media. The wideout did his best to clarify on the situation Tuesday night.
Restrepo posted an excuse for his slow time on X. He says he wasn’t at 100% but still opted to run.
I don’t usually do this but I feel like it’s necessary due to the circumstances. During warm-ups yesterday before the 40, my right hamstring tightened up on me and prohibited me to opening up and running my fastest.
-Xavier Restrepo on X
After weeks of training, he wanted to follow through. Hours later, he deleted that message. The reasoning for the removal is unclear.
Despite the 40-yard dash time, Xavier Restrepo continues to have supporters in his corner. Robert Griffin III backed the pass catcher’s production while minimizing his Pro Day performance this week. He believes he can be deadly in the slot.
Xavier Restrepo’s 40 time DOESN’T MATTER. Restrepo played 90.5% of his snaps as slot merchant last year. Watch his tape and you will see he knows when he is open in man or zone and how to separate to win on ones. A QBs best friend for moving the chains.
-RGIII on X
The intangibles are clearly there. Restrepo recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in Miami and is the program’s all-time leading receiver. CBS Sports still considers him a Top 150 prospect, and the 14th-best player at his position.
Unfortunately, the 40-yard dash time won’t be overlooked by some NFL organizations. He might’ve lost some money with his decision to compete in the Pro Day event.
The NFL Draft is a month away. The wideout still has a chance to speak with franchises personally as he looks to boost his stock to the level it once was. His social media activity suggests he doesn’t want to have any excuses for his standing when he eventually hears his name called. Or maybe, he doesn’t want to lose even more backing with potential injury concerns about that hamstring.