If the average NFL fan didn’t know who Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker was, they do now.
And that could spell bad news for a much larger investment falling by the wayside.
Coker was already well regarded among Panthers fans and draft gurus who were gushing over the prospect when he came out of Holy Cross. Despite strong production at the collegiate level, concerns about the competition he faced and how his speed would translate to the next level led the player to go undrafted.
This meant the wideout basically fell into the lap of Carolina as an undrafted free agent. Coker initially didn’t make the 53-man roster as a rookie, but later in the season was able to carve out a bigger role and was expected to be a key piece in 2025 with the Panthers trading Adam Thielen to the Minnesota Vikings.
Carolina Panthers' balance of power has shifted in the WR room behind Tetairoa McMillan
A quad injury meant Coker didn’t make his season debut until Week 7. After a slow start, the player began carving out a bigger role on offense, emerging as the clear WR2 by the time the playoffs arrived.
Against the Los Angeles Rams, Coker put on a show, hauling in nine receptions for 134 receiving yards and a touchdown as the Panthers fell to a heartbreaking loss.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Panthers' first-round draft pick in 2024 put on a performance that, unfortunately, summed up his disappointing second season.
Xavier Legette finished with just one reception for eight receiving yards, which came on the first drive of the game. Despite appearing in 16 games, Legette finished the 2025 season with 35 receptions for 363 yards and three scores, hardly first-round production.
Even aside from the player's lack of production, we’ve seen Legette exhibit a complete lack of common sense on the field too many times this season. And as the campaign progressed, he saw his role severely diminish, losing snaps to sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr.
Legette is fortunate that David Moore spent most of the season out with an elbow injury, or his role would likely have been further reduced. But moving forward into 2026, there is a real danger of being buried down the depth chart.
The Panthers have a clear WR1 and in first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan. Coker is the clear No. 2. Horn has carved out the role as a gadget. Even someone like Brycen Tremayne has made his presence felt on special teams.
If the Panthers add to the wide receiver position this offseason through either the draft or free agency, there is a serious possibility Legette may find himself on the roster bubble come training camp.
It further reinforces the notion that drafting for measurables rather than production can come back to haunt you. Legette has all the tools, but managed just one season of production in college. Coker’s speed was questioned despite three seasons of production at Holy Cross, and look who is thriving at the next level.
The tide has turned. And Legette has a significant amount of hard work ahead.