Just three days away from the opening round of the 2024 NFL Draft means everything is heightened, and teams are finalizing their draft boards.
One team, the Carolina Panthers, appears to have placed South Carolina 2023 second-team All-SEC wide receiver Xavier Legette incredibly high on their draft board because Legette himself said they promised him they will take him with their first available pick, 33rd overall — the first pick of the second round. Carolina doesn’t have its first-round selection because it traded it away to the Chicago Bears last year to move up from the ninth overall pick to the first overall pick to select quarterback Bryce Young in 2023.
“I’ve met with the Panthers four or five times, the relationship is just continuing to grow,” Legette told USA Today. “They’re really hoping I can make it to the second round. They keep telling me if I’m sitting at 33, they’re going to take me.”
Their interest in Legette is understandable beyond just his geographical proximity. After having just 423 receiving yards in his first four seasons of college football, Legette erupted for 1,255 in 2023, the second-most in the entire SEC behind only LSU All-American wideout Malik Nabers. He stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 221 pounds, and he showed at the NFL Scouting Combine that he is an explosive athlete. Legette ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and totaled a 40-inch vertical jump in addition to a 10-foot-6 broad jump. He is an elite player after the catch, and he does his best work closer to the line of scrimmage — slants, crossing routes and screens — but also can get vertical deep downfield.
His intermediate route-running could use some work, but clearly the Panthers are ready to acquire and develop this Carolina native.
The 2024 NFL Draft will take place from April 25-27 in Detroit. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly updated draft order, mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CBSSports.com Headlines…