NFL draft prospect compared to former Browns speedster Travis Benjamin

Texas WR Xavier Worthy brings tons of speed like “The Rabbit” did for years in the NFL

The imperfect science of the NFL draft is once again in our sights. Where fans and media focus on immediate production and expect more players to be productive than is historically likely, teams are trying their best to fit players to needs, both current and future.

One way where fans, media and teams have something in common is the use of comparisons between NFL draft prospects and current/former players. As the Cleveland Browns potentially look for another receiver in this year’s draft, former Browns WR Travis Benjamin came up as a comp for Texas Longhorns WR Xavier Worthy:

Benjamin is an interesting case study in how a player is seen and progresses in the league. As a speedster, the former Miami Hurricane was never going to be a high receptions guy but his value came in explosive plays. In his first three seasons in Cleveland, Benjamin had just 41 receptions but he averaged over 16 yards per catch each of those three years.

In his final season with the Browns, Benjamin had 68 receptions for 966 yards and five touchdowns. He then went on to play for the San Diego Chargers, who became the Los Angeles Chargers, for four seasons before his final year in 2021 with the San Francisco 49ers.

In his nine years in the league, Benjamin had over 200 receptions, over 3,100 yards and 19 touchdowns. As a fourth-round pick, the speedster would be considered a solid to great selection with that production.

Worthy had 75 receptions for over 1,000 yards and five touchdowns last year for the Longhorns. The 6’1” receiver is slight in frame but makes up for it with his speed. While there are limitations to his game, Worthy is expected to be selected no later than the second round.

PFF has mocked Worthy to the Browns in the second round:

• Round 2, Pick 55: WR Xavier Worthy, Texas — The Browns need another impact wide receiver, one with speed, and Worthy’s footwork, acceleration, one-cut speed and vertical speed must be accounted for on every play.

For Cleveland fans, the comparison to Benjamin and the Anthony Schwartz experience will likely dampen the excitement for drafting Worthy with the team’s first pick. That is where comparisons can be misleading. While two players might play the game similarly, that doesn’t mean their production will be the same for their careers. Health, system, opportunities and quarterbacks are just some of the variables that could greatly impact the impact of a player, especially at wide receiver.

With Schwartz, it was the ability to catch the ball that derailed his Browns career which is not considered a big concern for Worthy:

Worthy knows how to finish on those plays, too. He has the ability to track the ball down the field over his shoulder while maintaining top speed. You rarely see him flinch in those instances despite how difficult tracking those passes can be.

If we use Benjamin as a comparison, grading his selection after three seasons would have led to a C or below grade. After four seasons, a B or higher. For his career, as a fourth-round selection, Benjamin was a solid B+ at minimum. If drafted in the second round as expected, Worthy might take a couple of years to really find his stride but the modern NFL is far more open for speed receiver than it was back in Benjamin’s day.

How would you feel about the Browns picking Worthy in the second round this year given the Benjamin comparison?