3 Carolina Panthers rookies under the most pressure at 2024 camp
By Dean Jones
Xavier Legette - Carolina Panthers WR
Xavier Legette was strongly linked to the Carolina Panthers throughout pre-draft assessments. He's a South Carolina boy and enjoyed a phenomenal final campaign with the Gamecocks. Dan Morgan and Dave Canales were highly impressed with the wide receiver and made him a high-priority target.
The Panthers had to bide their time. They didn't have a first-round pick, so it was a nervous wait for those in power. When the opportunity came to strike, Morgan didn't hesitate to secure his conviction player's services.
With Morgan worried that the New England Patriots were planning to move up for Legette, the Panthers struck a deal with the Buffalo Bills to shift one spot and take the athletic wideout at No. 32 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. This also provides the new general manager with a fifth-year option on his rookie deal if everything goes as anticipated.
Legette's become an instant fan favorite. His fun-loving demeanor and ruthless aggression between the white lines went down extremely well over Carolina's rookie minicamp. A hamstring tweak kept him out after that, but it was more precautionary than anything else.
There's pressure on Legette to make his presence felt immediately. The Panthers desperately need an offensive spark - someone capable of taking the shortest completions for big gains and providing a genuine vertical threat. Looking at the athleticism and explosiveness he brings to the table, that's well within his capabilities.
Giving Legette plenty of reps versus former college teammate Jaycee Horn would be wise over camp. How the Panthers plan to utilize him remains unclear, but Dave Canales will move him around and look to find mismatches to maximize the exceptional physical gifts at his disposal.
With Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen also around, this has the makings of a much-improved wideout trio. If the tight ends enhance their influence and Jonathan Mingo develops after a rough rookie campaign, quarterback Bryce Young is in a much more profitable position in which to thrive.