Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo (7) high fives fans after defeating the South Florida Bulls in their NCAA college football game at the Raymond James Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. MATIAS J. OCNER [email protected]
Xavier Restrepo owns the Miami Hurricanes’ career record book for wide receivers and looks the part of a prototypical slot receiver.
But despite his track record of success at the collegiate level, his draft stock took a hit after a poor showing in the 40-yard dash during Miami’s Pro Day in March — to the point where he went undrafted but probably ended up in the best-case scenario in that situation.
The Tennessee Titans are signing Restrepo as an undrafted free agent. The move reunites him with quarterback Cam Ward, who the Titans selected with the first overall pick.
Restrepo set the UM career records for receptions (200) and receiving yards (2,844) and was fourth all-time in school history in receiving touchdowns (21). Restrepo, a Coconut Creek native, is also the only player in Hurricanes history to have multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
He finished his senior season with 69 catches for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to being named a first-team All-American by the America Football Coaches Association and second-team All-American by Sporting News, the Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America. One year earlier, he set the single-season school record with 85 catches while also logging 1,092 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
However, Restrepo ran an unofficial 4.83 seconds in his 40-yard dash during UM’s Pro Day, a surprisingly slow time for a wide receiver, after not taking part in the event at the NFL combine a couple weeks earlier.
Restrepo said in a post on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account that his right hamstring tightened up during warmups before running the 40-yard dash, which “prohibited me to opening up and running my fastest.” He went on to say that he had been consistently running between 4.53 and 4.58 seconds for two weeks before Pro Day “and thought I could still pull it off.”
“I did everything just because it’s in my blood to compete,” Restrepo said in the post. “With that being said, I am now focusing on getting back to 100% healthy and getting ready to play football! Ready to let God take over!”
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein describes Restrepo as a “feisty slot-only target who has maximized his talent and honed his craft.”
“Restrepo is a route chef who reeks of urgency and plays much faster than the stopwatch is likely to time him,” Zierlein continued. “His footwork, leverage and burst allowed consistent separation from man coverage on the college level but contested catches await him on the next level. His instincts, blitz recognition and talent to scramble open when plays break down will make him a favorite of quarterbacks and play-callers. Subpar length and average measurables could create some hesitation for NFL evaluators but the play and football demeanor feel translatable as a future starting slot.”
Beyond Restrepo, the following Hurricanes players have also signed undrafted free agent deals…
▪ Wide receiver Jacolby George, who caught 130 passes for 1,929 yards and 17 touchdowns over 42 games (24 starts) in his UM career, has a deal with the Carolina Panthers.
▪ Cornerback Daryl Porter Jr., who played 30 games (22 starts) in three seasons at Miami after starting his career with Virginia Tech, is signing with the Buffalo Bills.
▪ Safety Mishael “Meesh” Powell, whose five interceptions were tied for fourth most in the country last season, signed with the Minnesota Vikings.
▪ Defensive tackle Simeon Barrow, who was first-team All-ACC after setting a career-high with five-and-a-half sacks in addition to eight tackles for loss in his lone season at UM (following three seasons at Michigan State), signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
This story was originally published April 26, 2025 at 7:41 PM.
