Xavier Legette: If I'm available at pick 33, the Panthers tell me 'they're going to take me'

Xavier Legette spent five seasons at South Carolina while in college. With his pro career about to get started, though, it sounds like, depending on how long he’s available in the 2024 NFL Draft, he could be spending the next few years in North Carolina.

Legette described his connections to the Carolina Panthers in a conversation with John Crumpler of USA Today. He said that he and the franchise have become very familiar with one another over the course of the process.

“I’ve met with the Panthers about four or five times,” said Legette. “The relationship? It just keeps continuing to grow.”

That’s then where Legette shared quite the bit of information himself. He told Crumpler that, assuming he’s available at their second-round pick in the draft at No. 33, the Panthers have let him know that they’ll be taking him with that selection.

“They’re really hoping that I can make it to the second round,” Legette said. “They keep on telling me that, if I’m sitting at 33, they’re going to take me.”

That plan could very well change depending on if, obviously, Legette is off the board or if another player on their board slides down to Day 2. Still, that’s a pretty legitimate vote of confidence in him if that indeed is the way they’re viewing him.

Legette was a Gamecock in Columbia for 53 games over five seasons. In that time, he caught 113 passes for 1,678 yards and a dozen touchdowns. Most of that came this past fall as a super-senior with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven scores. All of those were career-highs and also team-bests by far.

As of now, Carolina has nine receivers on their roster. Only two of those finished in the top-seven on the team in receiving last year in Adam Thielen, their clear leader at 103 catches for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns, and Jonathan Mingo, a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft who caught 43 passes for 418 yards as a rookie.

This pick would be a big deal for the Panthers. Due to the trade for this year’s top pick, No. 33 is the team’s first chance to select a player. It’s the first out of seven total, including another second-round pick at No. 39 via the New York Giants. Unless they move back up into the opening round, that could make Legette the first pick for the franchise for Dave Canales, their new head coach, to give another weapon to QB Bryce Young.

Legette is another one of those receivers within the depth of the position in this draft class. The only question is if Carolina makes good on their apparent word to pick him or if he ends up elsewhere if the Panthers pass on him.