Xavier Legette NFL Draft 2024: Scouting Report for Carolina Panthers WR

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 221

HAND: 9"

ARM: 31⅞"

WINGSPAN: 77½"

40-YARD DASH: 4.39

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: 40"

BROAD: 10'6"

POSITIVES

— Great size and build for the position. Tall, muscular frame.

— Very good contested-catch ability. Strong hand-eye coordination and flexibility to adjust to the ball.

— Above-average long speed for a player his size. Can be a vertical presence.

— Above-average bully-ball style YAC player. Strong downhill mover with some speed.

NEGATIVES

— Poor footwork and explosiveness at the line of scrimmage. Too often fails to gain ground quickly.

— Below-average acceleration and burst. Needs to stride out for a bit to reach top speed.

— Below-average change-of-direction ability in the open field.

— Can struggle to work back to the quarterback and find the ball at times.

2023 STATISTICS

— 12 G, 71 REC, 1,255 YDS (17.7 AVG), 7 TD; 9 ATT, -9 YDS (-1.0 AVG), 0 TD

NOTES

— Born Jan. 29, 2001

— 3-star recruit in 2019, per 247Sports

— 32 career starts

— 2023 second-team All-SEC (AP)

OVERALL

Xavier Legette was a late bloomer in college, but one with an NFL-ready frame and ball skills. He lined up all over the field for South Carolina, though he was primarily an outside receiver with vertical responsibilities.

While Legette lacks quickness and refinement at the line of scrimmage, he makes up for it with his long speed. He has enough juice to consistently threaten down the field on go routes, posts and deep crossing routes once he starts striding out. He is also a bully-style yards-after-the-catch player thanks to his ample speed and strong build.

More importantly, Legette is a devastating contested-catch player. His massive frame and excellent hand-eye coordination make it easy for him to high-point the ball. Legette is also an effortless and flexible mover in the air, which allows him to contort his body as needed to get the ball.

Many of Legette's pain points come down to refinement. He is not skilled at battling at the line of scrimmage, nor is he a developed route-runner who can mix up his approach to keep defensive backs guessing. He plays with a fairly straightforward approach.

Additionally, Legette can struggle to work back to the ball and make himself friendly to the quarterback. That shows up most on timing routes or when Legette is running across the field and needs to attack the ball so defensive backs don't undercut the route.

Legette is an intriguing prospect with size, adequate speed and ball skills. The concern is that Legette is not a dynamic mover, and he is still a work in progress when it comes to the finer parts of the position. Legette would be best in a play-action heavy system that enables his vertical ability and ball skills.

GRADE: 7.1 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 71

POSITION RANK: WR13

PRO COMPARISON: Kenny Britt

Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

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