The Carolina Panthers' decision to select Xavier Legette at No. 32 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft didn't reap immediate rewards. There were flashes of brilliance, but adding more consistency to his game is the next challenge.
Analysts have been quick to jump on Legette's indifferent rookie exploits. Another NFL expert added his name to the list, proclaiming the Panthers would have been better off going in a direction that some sections of the fan base were clamoring for at the time.
Carolina Panthers' criticism around Xavier Legette pick is extremely harsh
Matt Holder from The Bleacher Report named Legette as Carolina's worst draft pick over the last five years. He tipped the former South Carolina star to get demoted from the starting lineup if things don't improve. The analyst also thought that taking Ladd McConkey could have been far more beneficial from Carolina's perspective in hindsight.
"In fairness to [Xavier] Legette, the jury is still out on whether he’s a bust, and he could remain a starter this season. However, the Panthers spent a first-round pick on another wideout last April, as the South Carolina product had an underwhelming rookie campaign and could get squeezed out of the starting lineup in training camp. What makes Legette’s first-year struggles sting for the Panthers is the fact that another wideout taken two picks later was immediately productive. [Ladd] McConkey managed to rack up 82 catches for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and those figures ranked third, third and tied for fourth among rookie wideouts."Matt Holder
That's extremely harsh considering some of the mishaps made by previous regimes, but it should only serve as more motivation to Legette in pursuit of silencing his doubters this time around.
Legette's been working exceptionally hard on improving his craft this offseason. He looked a lot sharper over Carolina's offseason program, with his enhanced catching technique coming in for significant praise. It's a crowded wide receiver room now, but there's nothing to suggest the second-year pro cannot form a prolific partnership with first-round rookie Tetairoa McMillan if the same trend continues this summer.
McConkey is an exceptional talent. He took the league by storm last season, emerging as a dependable target for Justin Herbert en route to 82 catches for 1,149 receiving yards and seven touchdowns right out of the gate. But that doesn't make Legette a terrible pick if he raises performance levels.
It's way too early to pass judgment on Legette. And if next season goes as expected, those who wrote him off will be ordering a large slice of humble pie.