The Carolina Panthers enter the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25 with seven picks over the three-day draft.
They made a move late Thursday night, trading into the first round for the No. 32 pick and took South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette. In trading with the Bills, the Panthers received Buffalo’s sixth-round pick at No. 200 and gave up a fifth-rounder (No. 141).
To kick off Night 2 of the draft, the Panthers made a trade with the Rams. Instead of picking 39th, Carolina moved back to 52 and also acquired the 155th overall pick in the fifth round and a second-round pick in 2025.
Keep coming back here throughout the draft for analysis and grades for each Panthers pick.
Round 1
No. 32: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina
Dane Brugler’s analysis
A four-year starter at South Carolina, Legette was an inside/outside receiver in offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains’ scheme (64.6 percent wide, 34.0 percent slot in 2023). A quarterback out of necessity as a senior in high school, he was raw when he joined the Gamecocks and didn’t break out until his fifth season (he and Malik Nabers were the only two SEC players to average more than 100 yards receiving per game in 2023).
Legette is at his best on runway routes (verticals, posts, crossers) or sweeps and end-arounds that get his long-striding acceleration going. He doesn’t consistently shake tight man coverage, but he will use his size to play strong through contact.
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.
Joe Person’s analysis
Carolina Panthers draft Xavier Legette: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Nick Baumgardner’s grade: C+
Round 1 grades for all 32 picks
Round 2
No. 52 (from Rams)
Round 3
No. 65
Round 4
No. 101
Round 5
No. 142
No. 155
Round 6
No. 200 (from Bills)
Round 7
No. 240 (via Steelers)
(Photo: Jeff Blake / USA Today)