Ranking the Panthers' Three Best Draft Picks (and Two Worst)

2. Xavier Legette - Wide Receiver, South Carolina (1st Round)

The Panthers traded up into the first round to land a bonafide No. 1 wide receiver, and Xavier Legette's physical traits make him the rare kind of prospect you can build an offense around. He's 221 pounds with a 4.39 40-yard dash and 40-inch vertical, and he'll stay close to home as he hopes to become Bryce Young's No. 1 target.

Legette broke out in 2023 with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven TDs. He can fly past defenders or soar to make a contested catch, with the physicality to win in tight coverage as well. For a receiving room that already includes route-running technicians Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen, Legette brings tools that the incumbents don't have.

This guy is a baller, for lack of a better phrase. Legette will be measured up against receivers like Keon Coleman and Adonai Mitchell, though I think this is a perfect fit for Carolina's rebuilding offense.

His lack of production until 2023 is a legitimate concern, but sometimes you can just see the sky-high ceiling a prospect brings to the table. If Young is under duress and needs to throw up a jumpball, you can bet he'll look Legette's way.

With Legette and Sanders, the Panthers have a ferocious pass-catching duo to build around with Thielen and Johnson as complements.