After trading up one spot in the NFL draft, the Carolina Panthers made their move by selecting wide receiver Xavier Legette from South Carolina, enhancing quarterback Bryce Young’s arsenal in the passing game.
Standing at 6 feet 3 inches and weighing 227 pounds, Legette showcased his skills with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns during the previous season with the Gamecocks. His breakout performance in 2023 marked a significant improvement from his earlier years at South Carolina, where he never exceeded 18 receptions in a single season.
Adding Legette to their roster provides the Panthers with another valuable option alongside Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, and last year’s second-round pick, Jonathan Mingo.
Legette became the seventh wide receiver selected in the first round of the draft.
Initially lacking a first-round pick, the Panthers traded theirs — which eventually turned out to be the No. 1 pick — to the Chicago Bears last year in exchange for moving up to acquire Young. The Bears used that pick to select quarterback Caleb Williams.
To secure the 32nd pick, the Panthers traded the 33rd pick and one of their fifth-round selections to the Buffalo Bills, also acquiring the Bills’ sixth-round pick in return.
