Carolina Panthers trade up into 1st round for WR Xavier Legette

Jeremy Vernon

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Carolina Panthers trade up into 1st round for WR Xavier Legette image

The Carolina Panthers traded up into the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft to select South Carolina receiver Xavier Legette on Thursday night.

Carolina traded the first pick in the second round — No. 33 overall — along with a fifth-rounder to Buffalo for the No. 32 pick and a sixth-round pick. The Panthers then used the final pick of the first round on the Gamecocks receiver.

Legette caught 71 passes for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns with South Carolina in 2023. The Mullins, S.C., native stands at 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds.

The Panthers made Legette the sixth receiver drafted Thursday night. He was preceded by Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals), Malik Nabers (Giants), Rome Odunze (Bears), Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars) and Xavier Worthy (Chiefs).

Legette gives the Panthers another weapon on the outside to help quarterback Bryce Young, who struggled mightily after being selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 draft. He should fit in nicely alongside veteran Adam Thielen and new addition Diontae Johnson.

Carolina also owns the seventh pick in the second round — No. 39 overall. The Panthers could still use help at pass-rusher, offensive line and defensive back. 

There are still a number of prospects at all three positions following the first round, including corners Cooper DeJean and Kool-Aid McKinstry, centers Jackson Powers-Johnson and Zach Frazier.

Jeremy Vernon

Jeremy Vernon Photo

Jeremy Vernon is a reporter and editor from Greensboro, North Carolina, with a decade of experience in the industry. His previous stops include MLB.com and two local papers in N.C. — the Monroe Enquirer-Journal and the Chatham News + Record. When he isn’t working, you can likely find Jeremy at the dog park with his two-year old lab mix, Summer.