The 2024 NFL Draft is less than a month away, and the class is loaded with talent at the wide receiver position. While guys like Marvin Harrison Jr and Malik Nabers are (justifiably) stealing all the headlines, Day 2 guys like Xavier Legette deserve more attention. Longtime veteran wide receiver Steve Smith is breaking down film and loves what he sees from the South Carolina product.
If anyone knows how to play the wide receiver position, it’s Steve Smith. Originally entering the league as a third-round pick in the 2001 NFL Draft, the Utah product outplayed his draft stock and quickly became one of the toughest and most elusive players in the game. His best season came back in 2005 when he led the league in receptions (103), yards (1,563), and touchdowns (12), but he remained effective into his age-37 season. Scouting players is an inexact science, but if he thinks Xavier Legette can play, then it’s something to note.
Get @XavierLegette a coat 🧥 because he’s going to be a COLD player when he gets to the league 🥶
Catch the full episode TOMORROW on the #CutToIt✂️ YouTube page! 📺 pic.twitter.com/kmzbM4I3SF
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) March 28, 2024
Steve Smith Praises Xavier Legette Ahead of NFL Draft
Smith perfectly sums up what Xavier Legette can do. Checking in at 6′-1″ and 221 pounds, the South Carolina product finished the 2023 season with 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and nine touchdowns. Legette possesses fantastic straight-line speed and accelerates much faster than you’d expect from a guy his size.
Additionally, Xavier Legette has the catch radius to bring in just about anything thrown in his zip code and the size to outleap cornerbacks in contested situations. This impressive combination of size and speed also makes him a nightmare to take down in the open field. While there are concerns about his route tree and that he never had more than 20 receptions until his fifth collegiate season, he has the physical traits to thrive in the NFL.
Steve Smith spent most of his career with the Panthers, so he’s probably hoping that Carolina drafts Xavier Legette. However, plenty of teams should be interested in the veteran. According to the consensus big board, Legette should hear his name called at some point in the second round, so all 32 teams could go after him. However, these five teams (aside from the Panthers) make the most sense.
Other Team Fits
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have seemingly no interest in improving their roster via trades or free agency so that only leaves the NFL Draft. CeeDee Lamb is one of the best receivers in the game, but he’s only one person. Michael Gallup is gone and Brandin Cooks is not getting any younger. Adding someone like Xavier Legette into the mix should improve the passing attack while giving Dak Prescott the firepower required to finally make a deep playoff run.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are probably going to trade Tee Higgins, which means they’ll need to find a replacement in the NFL Draft. While no two players are exactly alike, Xavier Legette has a similar skill set to the Clemson product. Joe Burrow loves aggressive throws to playmaking wide receivers, and Legette should be a natural fit for Burrow’s style of play.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens need to replace a lot of talent in the NFL Draft, including wide receiver Odell Beckham. With the three-time Pro Bowler saying his goodbyes, the Ravens should look for another reliable outside threat. Xavier Legette is a perfect complement to the more shifty Zay Flowers, as these two could combine with Mark Andrews to form a receiver room capable of beating defenses in multiple ways.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs solved their short-term need at wide receiver with the Marquise Brown signing. However, seeing as the speedy wideout only signed a one-year deal, they still need to find a long-term fix. While Rashee Rice looks great, Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore don’t hold much promise at this point in their careers. Xavier Legette might not do too much in Year 1 with the Chiefs, but he could be valuable down the line.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills wide receiver room consists of an aging and frustrated Stefon Diggs and a series of role players. With Gabriel Davis now in Jacksonville, the team could use a big-bodied receiver like Xavier Legette to line up wide and make plays in the red zone. With Josh Allen’s cap hit exploding, the Bills are at the point where they need to hit on just about every early draft pick if they ever want to come out on top in a stacked AFC.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
