Scouting Profile: Xavier Restrepo - WR - Miami (FL)
Sales Pitch: Dependable receiver with a thick compact frame. Physical limitations will relegate him to the slot but should be go to chain mover from the inside.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Xavier Restrepo is a former 3-Star recruit from the state of Florida. The 23 year old receiver appeared in over 50 games for the Hurricanes, with back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons in 2023 and 2024, receiving All-ACC honors in both campaigns.
Restrepo is a quick footed receiver with an undersized but compact frame. He is tough and experienced with plenty of production to his name. Restrepo thrives out of the slot, where he can use his good first step and change of direction skills to create separation. He is a detailed route runner with the balance to slightly change and tempo his angles to manipulate coverages. His experience and post snap recognition skills allow him to seamless adjust on the fly, and find soft spots versus zone coverage. Restrepo has dependable hands and is rarely phased by contact over the middle. He displays the ball tracking and body control to adjust and secure acrobatic catches down the field. While not the most dynamic ball carrier he is quick to turn upfield with the contact balance to slip off the initial tackler. Unlike most smaller slots, Restrepo is a functional blocker. He works his tail off to get to the right spot and doesn’t shy away from contact despite typically having a size disadvatnage.
Restrepo is an excellent slot receiver but his upside will be capped by his physical profile. He is undersized and going to be labeled as quicker than fast. Restrepo has little experience on the outside - over 90% of his career snaps are from the slot - and that doesn’t project to change. Physical press corners force him to false step in order to avoid contact to his smaller frame, which disrupts route timing. He lacks the long speed to quickly get vertical and stack press coverage, which allows defenders to use their size to dictate reps. Restrepo’s lack of size will also limit him at the catch point. He has short arms that create a small catch radius and he doesn’t have the leaping ability to win jump balls consistently. Despite his efforts as a blocker, his lack of size and length caps his impact there as well.
Restrepo projects best as WR 2/3 who primarily plays in the slot. His size and speed limitations will relegate him to the inside but his quickness, hands and blocking project well to a league that lives primarily in 11p. Restrepo projects to hear his name called mid to early Day-2.