Tag: Xavier Legette

Panthers select LB Trevin Wallace with 2024 draft’s 72nd overall pick

The Panthers have selected Kentucky LB Trevin Wallace with the 72nd pick of the 2024 draft.

The Carolina Panthers’ journey to the 72nd overall pick wasn’t a straightforward one, with general manager Dan Morgan and company swinging a total of three deals on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft. But by the time that slot came around, the team stayed put and got themselves a new defender.

With their first and only (at least for now) selection of the third round, the Panthers grabbed University of Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace. Carolina landed into the spot following a deal with the New York Jets—who sent over Picks No. 72 and No. 157 in exchange for No. 65.

Wallace is an athletic ‘backer at 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds. He clocked a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the 2024 scouting combine—the fourth-fastest amongst all prospects at his position.

He spent three seasons in Lexington—where he amassed 166 total tackles (18.0 for a loss), 10.0 sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

The Jesup, Ga. native now joins first-rounder Xavier Legette and second-rounder Jonathon Brooks atop the team’s draft class.

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Panthers 1st-round pick Xavier Legette gets his uniform number

New Panthers WR Xavier Legette got his uniform number. (And no, it’s not No. 24.)

There seemed to be a bit of confusion amongst some Carolina Panthers fans on Friday regarding the digits of their team’s new first-round pick.

At the conclusion of his introductory press conference this afternoon, last night’s 32nd overall selection Xavier Legette held up the process blue uniform for the ol’ photo op . . .

So . . uh . . . is he really going to wear that number?

No.

While actually kinda cool in an out-of-the-box kind of way for a wide receiver, the No. 24 just signifies the year we’re currently in—2024. Simple, right?

The actual uniform number would be revealed to Legette not long after the presser:

Legette wore the No. 17 at the University of South Carolina between 2019 and 2023. He finished up that five-year stay with some bulky numbers in the box score—reeling in 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns en route to a second-team All-SEC selection.

He’ll try to turn the tide for the Panthers’ 17—which has recently been worn by receivers DJ Chark, Rashard Higgins and Devin Funchess.

Oh, and some fella named Jake Delhome also had the number from 2003 to 2009.

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Panthers great Luke Kuechly gives his thoughts on selection of Xavier Legette

Luke Kuechly believes Xavier Legette will open a fresh window for the Panthers offense.

Well before getting the chance to call Xavier Legette’s NFL games, Carolina Panthers color commentator Luke Kuechly was able to give his thoughts on this year’s 32nd overall pick.

Kuechly, who was also apparently a linebacker prior to his radio days, joined Friday’s episode of Up & Adams—where host Kay Adams asked about his team’s selection of the versatile wideout.

“I think what he does for us is we’ve got a vertical threat that can get down the field now,” Kuechly stated. “And I think last year, when you watch games and you watch the Panthers, everything was so compressed and tight to the line of scrimmage. Safeties were at 10, 11 yards. They weren’t scared of guys getting down the field. And what that does in the pass game, it closes windows.”

The windows were certainly shut for the Panthers, who ranked dead-last in total offense this past season. That primary victim of that listless attack was rookie quarterback Bryce Young, whose lack of diverse and effective weapons helped result in just 179.8 passing yards a contest and 11 touchdowns.

Fortunately for Young, Legette could bring quite a bit of versatility to his arsenal. The Mullins, S.C. native was named a second-team All-SEC member following his breakout 2023 campaign—one where he averaged 17.7 yards per reception.

So if this Luke guy knows anything about football, the offense should be in better shape moving forward.

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Panthers WR Xavier Legette jokes about social media ‘dragging’ his country accent

Panthers WR Xavier Legette talks about his country accent: “They really ain’t just never heard nobody talk from Mullins.”

There’s no doubt that the Carolina Panthers got themselves a one-of-one with the 32nd pick of the 2024 NFL draft.

Approximately 14 hours after hearing his name called by Commissioner Roger Goodell, wide receiver Xavier Legette spoke with reporters from his new home at Bank of America Stadium this afternoon. With uncertainty surrounding the pronunciation of his name, even from his new head coach, did Goodell get it right on Thursday night?

With that settled, Legette was later asked about his accent—which really started to garner quite a bit of attention after the release of this video from WCNC-TV in Charlotte back in March:

“Oh yeah, they’ve been draggin’ it all over social media. They’ve been dragging it all over social media,” Legette replied with a smile. “I love social media, man. I just tell folks—they really ain’t just never heard nobody talk from Mullins.”

The Mullins, S.C., native attended the University of South Carolina beginning in 2019. Legette burst onto the scene just this past year—having amassed 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns of 71 receptions for the Gamecocks in 2023.

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Panthers GM Dan Morgan: ‘We’ll probably get some calls’ on trading Pick No. 39

Panthers GM Dan Morgan is anticipating some outside interest for the 39th overall pick.

The Carolina Panthers went up and got their guy in a somewhat surprising move on Thursday night. But their work this weekend is far from done.

After striking a deal with the Buffalo Bills to secure wide receiver Xavier Legette at the 32nd overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales hit the microphones for a little post-round presser. Morgan would be asked if he was getting any trade calls on the 33rd selection before shipping it off.

“Yeah, definitely getting some teams sniffing around, just kinda wondering what we’re thinking—33 and 39 we were getting some calls,” he replied. “I’d venture to say that we’ll probably get some calls on 39 tomorrow.”

As expected, one side of the ball dominated the board last night. The first 14 picks of the round were all offensive players, a new record for the NFL draft.

And while that inspired the Panthers to bag Legette a spot earlier, the development also left them with plenty of intriguing prospects to choose from on Friday.

“I think there’s a lot of players we still like on the board,” Morgan added. “Obviously, that’s a really good thing—to be able to keep Pick 39 and still have 65, 101 and then the two fives and our seven. So, I think we’re set up pretty good for the rest of the draft and I’m excited to kinda see who’s gonna be there and who we’re gonna take at 39.”

Morgan and company are currently in possession of Picks 39, 65, 101, 142, 200 and 240.

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Updated list of Panthers’ 2024 NFL draft picks for Day 2 and Day 3

Here’s what the Panthers are working with, at least at the moment, for the second and third days of the 2024 NFL draft:

Last week, Carolina Panthers president of football operations/general manager Dan Morgan said he didn’t want to box his team out from trades in the 2024 NFL draft. Well, he didn’t—so we have some housekeeping to do now.

On Thursday night, Morgan pushed the Panthers into the first round—striking a deal with the Buffalo Bills for the 32nd overall pick. With that trade came the selection of University of South Carolina wideout Xavier Legette as well as some reshuffling on the deck.

So, as we enter Day 2, here’s what Carolina now has left for the remainder of the proceedings:

  • Second round: No. 39 (via New York Giants)
  • Third round: No. 65
  • Fourth round: No. 101
  • Fifth round: No. 142 (via Tennessee Titans)
  • Sixth round: No. 200 (via Buffalo Bills)
  • Seventh round: No. 240 (via Pittsburgh Steelers)

Morgan told reporters during his post-pick presser last night that there are still plenty of prospects to choose from moving into Friday.

“I think there’s a lot of players we still like on the board,” Morgan added. “Obviously, that’s a really good thing—to be able to keep Pick 39 and still have 65, 101 and then the two fives and our seven. So, I think we’re set up pretty good for the rest of the draft and I’m excited to kinda see who’s gonna be there and who we’re gonna take at 39.”

He also said that he anticipates some trade calls on that 39th pick.

Stay tuned!

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WATCH: Panthers HC Dave Canales jokes with Xavier Legette about draft ‘promise’

Dave Canales jokes with draft pick Xavier Legette: “You didn’t have to go tell the whole world we were gonna do it the other day!”

The Carolina Panthers’ interest in Xavier Legette is definitely not a secret anymore.

To close out the first round of the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night, the Panthers jumped into the 32nd overall slot and selected University of South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette. The move may not have been a surprise to the Mullins, S.C. native, who previously told us that the team had assured him he’d be their pick if he was available.

“I’ve met with the Panthers about four or five times,” he said in our interview from analyst John Crumpler. “The relationship, it just keeps continuing to grow. They’re really hoping I can make it the second round. They keep on telling me if I’m sitting at 33, they’re gonna take me.”

Well, right after the pick was actually made, Canales joked with Legette about letting the cat out of the bag . . .

So whether or not the “promise” was actually a promise, everyone knows where the Panthers were looking now.

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Xavier Legette on being drafted by the Panthers: ‘I had a good feeling about them’

32nd overall pick Xavier Legette felt the love coming from the Panthers during the draft process.

You can probably say that Xavier Legette had a hunch about the Carolina Panthers.

On Thursday night, the Mullins, S.C. native and University of South Carolina wideout was selected by his hometown NFL team with the 32nd pick of the 2024 NFL draft. He was asked about how he was feeling leading up to the life-changing announcement.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Legette said. “I was just waiting to hear my name called. And then once they called me and tell me that they was trading up for me, there was a whole lot of joy inside me.”

To keep Legette local, the Panthers swung a deal with the Buffalo Bills to move up from the 33rd overall selection to the 32nd overall selection. The deal included a later pick swap as well, with Carolina shipping off No. 141 for No. 200.

Before the move was made, Legette went on record multiple times about Carolina’s interest in him. He even told our own John Crumpler that the Panthers assured him that he’d be their pick if he was available.

So Legette was asked why he thought that was the case.

“Just because of the meetings we had, man,” he replied. “I could feel the love and the vibe coming from them. I knew if it wasn’t them, I knew I wasn’t gonna be sure. I had a good feeling about them.”

Well, the feeling is obviously mutual.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales talks about what Xavier Legette brings to the offense

Panthers HC Dave Canales on Xavier Legette: “I’m really excited to bring his talents to our offense.”

The cat is back in the bag.

On Thursday night, the Carolina Panthers traded up into the 32nd overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft to select wide receiver Xavier Legette. Now, that move may not have come as a surprise to those who took in our interview with the University of South Carolina standout—who told analyst John Crumpler that the team essentially assured him that he’d be their pick.

Head coach Dave Canales, who then pushed back a bit on Legette’s comment, was asked about that “promise” during his post-pick press conference.

“We loved him,” he replied with a smile. “I’m not gonna sit here and lie about that, for sure. But, yeah, I meant what I said. There’s a lot of guys that we were excited about at that area—33, even late in the first round.”

Canales explained to reporters on Wednesday that he gave quite a few other prospects the same scenario. He stated that he used the “promise” as a lead-in question to gauge each player’s thought process.

But now that they bagged Legette, Canales is excited about what his newest weapon can bring to the offense.

“Versatility is huge for us,” he said. “So when you get a guy who can really run, a guy who can highpoint the ball, a guy that can carry it, you can give him the ball different ways—he just brings a lot of versatility.

“Now, with that being said, he’s got a long way to go. He’s gotta learn our stuff. He’s gotta figure out the system and find out how he fits into the whole thing—not just the pass game, but the run game as well. Just speaking to that, I’m really excited to bring his talents to our offense—and at the same time, I’m sure he knows too, he’s got a lot of work in front of him.”

Well, that’s another promise Canales and crew may have to keep.

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Panthers GM Dan Morgan explains why he traded up for Xavier Legette

Panthers GM Dan Morgan had a few good reasons for trading up to nab WR Xavier Legette.

His days as a linebacker may be long gone, but Carolina Panthers president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan hasn’t lost his aggression.

On Thursday night, Morgan and his front office made their move—jumping into the first round of the 2024 NFL draft to select University of South Carolina wideout Xavier Legette. Morgan then began his post-pick presser by explaining why he came to the decision.

“Yeah, the fifth-year option is definitely important. I think, obviously, that was a big reason to trade up into the first round,” he said. “Besides the player, we loved Xavier. Everything he brought—not only as a person, but as a player. Like, his ability to attack the ball when it’s in the air, his ability to run with it after the catch, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s physical. Think he has a lot of upside. So we wanted to take that opportunity to go get our guy.”

The trade, one that was struck with the Buffalo Bills, bumped the Panthers up from Pick No. 33 to Pick No. 32. Legette, as a first-round pick, will now have the all-important fifth-year option attached to his rookie deal—giving the organization a bit of flexibility with his future.

Morgan continued.

“I think once the wideouts were taken—Brian Thomas was taken and then I felt like there was gonna be a little run on wideouts after that,” he stated. “Then Xavier Worthy got taken. And we liked some of those guys and with Xavier [Legette] out there, we were just like—we don’t wanna put ourself in a bad situation to where we’re not gonna be able to get the guy we wanna get. He was our target, we really liked him and we went and got him.”

Well, he really was their guy after all.

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