The Carolina Panthers selected South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette with the No. 32 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The Panthers traded up from No. 33 — the first pick of the second round — to get the last pick in the first round from the Buffalo Bills. Along with the 33rd pick, Carolina sent No. 141 in the fifth round to Buffalo for No. 200 in the sixth round.
The 6-foot-1, 221-pound wide receiver had a monster 2023 season with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023. The Blanchard-Rogers Trophy winner averaged 17.7 yards per catch as he quickly became the Gamecocks’ top offensive weapon.
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‘The Beast’ breakdown
Legette ranked No. 76 in Dane Brugler’s Top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:
“Overall, Legette needs to continue developing his route proficiency and tempo, but his film gives off DK Metcalf vibes, and he has the explosive speed and physicality to be a matchup weapon. He should be an immediate contributor on special teams before competing for starting reps outside.”
Coaching intel
What an anonymous coach had to say about Legette in Bruce Feldman’s draft confidential:
“We’re big fans of his. He’s pretty special, and a great kid. What’s worrisome are a bunch of injuries and that motorcycle accident.”
Why he’s a first-round pick
Considering the low production outside of 2023 in college, it takes a team watching Legette’s film and believing the traits will translate in order to pick him. He earned All-SEC second team honors after an outstanding season playing with another prospective draft pick in QB Spencer Rattler. Legette’s rise continued at the NFL combine with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and 40-inch vertical leap. He’s an athletic specimen whose best football may be yet to come.
THAT BALL WAS LAUNCHED 🚀@SpencerRattler throws a 42-yard dime to @XavierLegette for the TD!
📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/bs7OwQnlbn
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) December 30, 2022
Nick Baumgardner’s grade
The Panthers move up one spot, entering the first round to snag help for Bryce Young in the form of big South Carolina X-receiver Xavier Legette. A 6-1, 222-pounder with 4.39 speed and a 40-inch vertical, Legette is a powerful blend of speed and explosion who looks and runs a lot like Seattle star D.K. Metcalf.
There are concerns, however. He made 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns last year. In his previous four years of college, Legette made 42 catches. He’s 23 and not a consistent route runner. Legette is a credible deep threat who will provide help as a returner, but there were better receivers here for Carolina in my opinion. Texas’ Adonai Mitchell and Georgia’s Ladd McConkey are two that come to mind. Grade: C+
How he fits
The Panthers’ interest in Legette was apparent at the Senior Bowl and apparently never wavered. Dave Canales said he “loved” Legette throughout the process. Though they only moved up one spot, trading up with Buffalo to take Legette with the 32nd pick was significant because the Panthers will have a fifth-year option on Legette by virtue of taking him in the first round. Clearly, Legette is someone the Panthers have plans for in the short and long term. — Joe Person
Rookie impact
Legette slides immediately into the staring receiver rotation alongside Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen. Johnson, acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh, said this week that Canales told him he would play the X spot and be the first read on many of the pass plays. That math likely has changed with the addition of Legette, who has a tantalizing combination of size (6-1, 221), speed (4.39-second clocking in the 40) and ability to win 50-50 balls. — Person
Depth chart impact
Legette’s arrival will push a couple of former second-round picks — Terrace Marshall Jr. and Jonathan Mingo — down the depth chart. Besides his immediate impact at receiver, Legette also could be a factor as a kick returner, especially given the new kickoff rules. Legette had some electric returns at South Carolina, including a 100-yarder vs. Texas A&M in 2022. But GM Dan Morgan made it clear that the Panthers took Legette as a receiver first and foremost. — Person
They also could have picked …
The Panthers watched as a there was a little run on receivers near the end of the first round, which Morgan said impacted his decision to trade up. The Chiefs took Texas wideout Xavier Worthy at 28 and Florida’s Ricky Pearsall went to San Francisco at 31 — the fifth and sixth receivers drafted, respectively. There were still several receivers available, including Adonai Mitchell, Troy Franklin and Ladd McConkey. — Person
Fast evaluation
I started mocking Legette to the Panthers even before he announced to the world he’d been told they would take him at 33. Watching him play against North Carolina in Charlotte last September, Legette stood out on the Gamecocks’ sideline because of his physicality. Canales raved about his versatility, saying there isn’t much the Panthers do offensively that Legette didn’t do in college. — Person
(Photo: Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)
