The Carolina Panthers had a season opener to forget, but first-round pick Xavier Legette was the silver lining on an otherwise miserable day. Making his official debut on the NFL stage, the rookie finished the night with four receptions for 35 yards on seven targets. This might not sound like much, but he was the best option in the Carolina passing attack, and his seven targets led the team. Head coach Dave Canales left the contest impressed with the rookie and seemed to imply he could have a major role in the upcoming battle against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“[Xavier Legette was] fantastic,” the head coach said. “He’s big and fast, he played fast. There’s a difference. When young guys get out there, sometimes what can happen with guys is—they get paralyzed by the picture moving so quickly. He played fast. He really did. He gave us a chance on a bunch of plays. Bryce [Young] had a nice couple throws to him in different situations. But his reactions to what happened is what I was so pleased about.”
Dave Canales: Xavier Legette Was “Fantastic” In Panthers Debut
Xavier Legette joined the Panthers following a remarkable 2023 season with South Carolina. Appearing in 12 games, the collegiate product recorded 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns during his fifth season with the Gamecocks. While Canales acknowledges the wide receiver is far from a finished product, he could see more work in Week 2. The Panthers face off against a Chargers team coming off a comfortable 22-10 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, and Carolina might need some offensive firepower to keep up with Justin Herbert.
Carolina ranks at or near the bottom of every power rankings for a good reason, and they probably won’t come away with a win in Week 2. However, if the Panthers shock the world against the Chargers, it’ll probably be thanks to Xavier Legette going off against a somewhat questionable secondary.
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