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Heading into the 2025 NFL Combine, one of the fastest players in this year's class, Isaiah Bond, made a bold prediction that would either look incredible or horrible in hindsight: Xavier Worthy's 4.21 40 record was going down.
As one of the premier deep threats in college both at Alabama and during his final run in Texas, Bond's production never really took off in the Lonestar State, but with a blistering 40? Goodness, the sky could be the limit for the former 4-star recruit, with a first-round draft spot not out of the question, as his fellow Longhorn Worthy proved last spring.
Unfortunately, it just wasn't meant to be.
Taking the track with his fellow group mates, Bond ran the track twice but, unfortunately, did not lead his position grouping in terms of production, topping out with 4.39 as his top time. To make matters worse, Bond wasn't even the fastest runner out of Texas, with his fellow teammate, Matthew Golden, being the lone receiver to break the 4.30 mark with a 4.29.
Will this impact Bond's draft status? No, probably not, as most talent evaluators had him as a Day 2 pick, and that likely won't change now that he “only” ran a 4.39. Still, Golden's stock unquestionably went up in Indianapolis, which could have been Bond's experience, too, if he was able to get into the 4.2s instead of coming in a tick under 4.4.
Isaiah Bond is still a prospect to watch in the NFL Draft
While Bond may not be a record-breaking athletic talent, the Alabama/Texas product is still a very interesting product in 2025, as he's still one of the better athletes in this class and a veteran performer with experience playing in two high-profile offenses.
Breaking down his prospect profile for NFL.com, Lance Zierlein noted that Bond's untapped potential should entice teams instead of giving them pause.
“Fluid, fast and untapped. Bond played decoy for the betterment of Texas' offense but clearly has the talent to take on a more focused, productive role. He's a capable route-runner, has good hands, and can play wide or from the slot,” Zierlein wrote. “An offense should feed him a heavier diet of shallow crossers, deep digs, and quick-game throws, allowing him to make magic with the ball in his hands and add to their chunk play total. He's tough but can struggle on combat catches and against contact-oriented coverage. Bond is an explosive athlete with above-average skill. He simply needs more targets to reach his potential. He's well-suited to the NFL game and could become a very good pro within his first three seasons.”
Would it have been nice to see Bond put up 1,000 yards and prove he's a certified superstar? Sure thing, but for a team in the playoffs who may miss out on one of the premier receivers in this year's classing, taking Bond on Day 2 could have enough upside to inch him up boards, though not quite as fast as a 4.20 40 time would have.
