Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, Jordan Whittington could top Texas NFL ancestors | Golden

Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell can make history in the NFL.

They don’t rank as the greatest pairing of Texas wideouts ever, but they could definitely post better numbers than their Longhorns predecessors did at the game’s highest level.

Texas has produced some exceptional receivers in its history, but only one has made the Pro Bowl as a full-time receiver since 1971.

As far as receiving groupings to come from the Forty Acres, three rank above the rest: Roy Williams, B.J Johnson and Sloan Thomas.

They arrived at Texas as a ballyhooed threesome in 2000. Williams left as the career leader in catches (241) and still holds the school record with 36 touchdown receptions and 3,866 yards. Johnson ranks 11th with 152 catches. Thomas hauled in 88.

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I’m not sure we saw Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby coming, but they put up some amazing numbers alongside quarterback Colt McCoy from 2006 to 2008 with veteran wideout Limas Sweed also in the mix in 2006 and 2007. Shipley was tops, breaking Williams’ career receptions record with 248, and ranks second in TD receptions (33) and yards (3,191).

Cosby also ranks in the top 10 in touchdowns, receiving yards and receptions. In 2008, they combined to catch 181 passes for 2,183 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Neither approached that level in the pros.

And we can’t forget Collin Johnson, Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Devin Duvernay — all currently in the NFL — who were the linchpins on the 2018 team that beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. With Sam Ehlinger at quarterback, they came within 15 yards of becoming the first trio in school history to post 1,000 yards receiving.

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Duvernay has made the Pro Bowl as a return man, but none of the three has established himself as an elite receiver just yet.

How good could Worthy, Mitchell be?

Now, this discussion is not one about which group is tops in Texas history, but how Worthy and Mitchell could have much better NFL careers than their UT ancestors. The upside is enormous for both, and while the competition is much stiffer in the pros, it will be interesting to see if they take their skills to an even higher level from what we’ve witnessed.

Quiet as it’s kept, Williams and George Sauer Jr. are the only full-time receivers in school history to play in a Pro Bowl, having made it in the Super Bowl era. The New York Jets' Sauer made it from 1967 to 1970. It would be 36 years before another full-time wide receiver — Detroit's Williams — made it to the Pro Bowl.

Williams, who was selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2004 draft, would be the first to admit he expected to play in more than one Pro Bowl in what was otherwise a solid eight-year career.

Why didn't Xavier Worthy run again? Didn't have to.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel sidled up to Worthy at UT's pro timing day Wednesday.

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Worthy set the NFL on its ear at the rookie scouting combine earlier this month with a record 4.21 time in the 40-yard dash, a feat that immediately went viral and drew reaction from all corners of the sporting world. He chose not to run it again Wednesday.

“Why didn’t you run the 40?” McDaniel asked in the middle of the Longhorns' practice facility.

“I don’t want to break the record too many times,” Worthy said as both chuckled.

Worthy earned thousands of fans in less than five seconds, including the delightfully nerdy McDaniel.

Worthy and receiving mates Mitchell and Jordan Whittington turned in solid workouts in front of McDaniel, Indianapolis Colts coach Shane Steichen and Cincinnati Bengals coach Zac Taylor, along with assistants and scouts from all 32 teams. It never hurts to post a great workout in front of expert pass catchers such as Reggie Wayne and Keenan McCardell, former Pro Bowlers who are now the receiving coaches for the Colts and Minnesota Vikings, respectively.

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With Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers throwing to them, the pass catchers were crisp, though Mitchell uncharacteristically dropped a couple of tosses after dropping only one of 86 targets in his lone season at Texas. Both he and Worthy hauled in most everything Ewers threw at them, including Mitchell’s diving grab in the end zone on a bomb. Worthy then ran down another nicely thrown Ewers aerial to end the workout.

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The Texas trio made history in the 512 by being part of the first Big 12 championship team since 2009, and they have the potential to retire as the most prolific group of NFL pass catchers in school history.

Before his record sprint in Indy, Worthy was trending as a second-round draft pick, but he has moved up in some mock drafts to a possible first-rounder. Mitchell was already being projected as a first-round pick before he ran a 4.34 in Indianapolis, and he looked the part Wednesday.

Looking to make their mark in the NFL

Few Texas wideouts have been ranked among the league’s best on a consistent basis, but the future appears bright. Worthy left Texas ranked third in career yards (2,755), third in TD receptions (26) and sixth in receptions (197). Those are incredible numbers, considering he compiled them in only three seasons.

“It’s definitely an accomplishment, not to bring Texas back, but to kind of bring it back to its feet and get us where it was going in the first place. But I feel like the job's not done,” Worthy said. “I feel like our job is to finish in the league, have a great career in the league and do what we want to do in the league.”

Whittington, who did not work out in Indianapolis because of a hamstring injury that also caused him to miss the Senior Bowl, was able to showcase his skills Wednesday, running crisp routes with great hands to boot.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in myself,” Worthy said. “I don't need to be amazing right now. I need to be amazing in May and in June, when I'm with the team. So that's something that I'm looking forward to.”

Whittington understands that he will have ample opportunity to impress once he’s drafted. He also has another workout scheduled before the draft in Austin.

As far as this trio making some new history on the next level while current Texas players are seeking to maintain the level he and his teammates set?

“That’s when it turns into a factory,” he said. “It keeps going and going.”

The upside is large, but the NFL is a much tougher league. These Horns will find out soon enough.

History tells us as much.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, Jordan Whittington have big NFL upside