Dan Morgan and Dave Canales had a guy they wanted more than any other. Despite all but disclosing this information before the 2024 NFL Draft began, that didn't stop the Carolina Panthers from making Xavier Legette their newest wide receiver by moving up one spot to No. 32 overall after striking a deal with the Buffalo Bills.
Many were confused by the decision to switch spots considering the Panthers were kicking off Day 2 at No. 33. However, this provided the franchise with the possibility of triggering a fifth-year option on his rookie contract. This will come in handy if the wideout becomes what Carolina hopes throughout his career.
This pick wasn't well received by some fans, but it's someone that those in positions of power had conviction in and they struck accordingly. It's become synonymous with how Morgan and Canales have approached their first offseason as a cohesive tandem with the common goal of bringing respectability to the organization.
If they feel like Legette is a genuine difference-maker, there needs to be a level of trust attached. With this in mind, here are three elite traits that the former South Carolina standout brings to the Panthers.
Elite traits Xavier Legette brings to the Carolina Panthers
Xavier Legette's coordination
It took a while for Xavier Legette to get going at the collegiate level. But when he eventually put everything together, the breakout campaign in 2023 turned him from a late-round afterthought into the Carolina Panthers' No. 32 overall selection.
Legette made substantial improvements to his game. One of the biggest positives centered on coordination in all phases. The wideout looked a lot more fluid in terms of body control, matching his lower and upper half movements in unison to cause endless complications to opposing pass defenses.
This also came across with the prospect's hand-eye coordination. Legette is credited with just two drops from 97 targets in 2023 according to Pro Football Focus, averaging more than 100 receiving yards per game through the air. Considering how finer the margins become at the next level, this is a useful tool to have in your arsenal.
Xavier Legette's YAC ability
The Carolina Panthers are banking on Xavier Legette's 2023 season being the start of something special rather than a flash in the pan. This is betting on athletic traits once again, but the environment seems more progressive under a purposeful, energetic head coach such as Dave Canales.
One thing Canales will know is how to get Legette involved and maximize his strengths. Asking him to be a polished route-runner as a rookie might be a stretch, but there are plenty of ways the play-caller can scheme things up to the team's advantage with their new first-round selection.
Getting the football into Legette's hands quickly would be a good place to start. His physical stature and surprising elusiveness make him a significant threat to gain yards after the catch. He's also got enough top-end speed to take even the shortest completion for big gains when gaps arrive.
This is something that could help Bryce Young considerably. He had nobody capable of this last season en route to a disastrous rookie campaign. His best wide receiver - veteran Pro Bowler Adam Thielen - remains a decent route-runner. However, that doesn't equate to many yards after the catch opportunities at this late stage of his career.
If Canales can conjure up ways for Legette to be a consistent YAC threat right out of the gate while developing other areas of his game, it's a great way to build up the wideout and quarterback's confidence. Considering the presence of Thielen and Diontae Johnson, there should also be plenty of space from which to work.
Legette has all the physical tools. He started to put them together fully last season when all hope was diminishing quickly. Building on this newfound momentum is crucial, but Carolina's brass is confident they have the scheme and the coaching credentials to help him continue on the right path.
Xavier Legette's athleticism
At the end of the day, Xavier Legette is a bona fide athlete. Is he the finished article as a route-runner and separator? No, but one could argue that everyone outside of the first three wide receivers taken during the 2024 NFL Draft needs a little extra refinement in pursuit of carving out successful careers for themselves.
While Legette becomes more polished, the Carolina Panthers can still put his exceptional athleticism to good use. The comparisons to Jonathan Mingo seem a little unfair. He's quicker and stronger, boasting the contested catch quality that makes him stand out literally above the rest during his final campaign with the Gamecocks.
Legette's ability to get the football at its highest point. His vice-like grip and aforementioned coordination guaranteed he came down with a successful completion more often than not. That won't be nearly as easy in the pros, but there's a lot to like about his NFL-ready physique and how it might cope.
If Legette struggles to find his feet, the Panthers can go one of two ways. They could provide the wideout with some easy completions to build confidence and create yards after the catch opportunities or put his outstanding top-end speed to good use on vertical routes, which should scare defenses enough to open things up underneath. That is how special an athlete the Carolina Panthers have on their hands.
This selection wasn't the first choice of every Panthers fan, which is understandable considering the options available. However, head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan saw enough in the player to move swiftly. They've developed a good rapport and playing his ball close to home is something else that comes with an extra level of motivation attached.
But above all else, Legette has the elite-level athleticism no Panthers wide receiver on the roster possesses currently. If he's nurtured correctly, a Bryce Young bounce-back won't be too far behind.