Xavier Legette’s rookie year didn’t go quite as planned, but the Carolina Panthers aren’t giving up on their former first-round pick just yet.
In fact, head coach Dave Canales made it clear this week that the team sees real progress from the second-year wideout and they’re expecting a leap in 2025.
Why the Panthers Still Believe in Xavier Legette
Speaking with reporters after the Panthers’ first round of OTAs on May 27, Canales had plenty of praise for Legette, both for the work he’s put in and the way he’s carrying himself.
“What I see is a year into the system,” Canales said. “Just the speed that he’s playing with now, with the level of comfort he has with what we’re doing. When I see him smiling, I know he’s in a good space.”
Dave Canales says he’s seen Xavier Legette smiling a lot this spring, so he knows he’s in a good place.
Also: “He looks big and fast.” pic.twitter.com/joMXbFcpLB— Joe Person (@josephperson) May 27, 2025
That wasn’t always the case in 2024. Legette, the 32nd overall pick, flashed early with four touchdowns in his first nine games, but he faded down the stretch. He didn’t score in the final seven contests, and his eight drops led the team, including one that likely cost Carolina a massive upset over the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, in Week 14.
Still, the Panthers aren’t panicking. Instead, they’re building around their young talent and giving Legette more support.
How Tetairoa McMillan Could Help Unlock Legette
One of the biggest reasons for optimism? Tetairoa McMillan.
Carolina used the eighth overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft to bring in the Arizona Wildcats standout, and early signs point to him becoming the featured X receiver in Canales’ system. McMillan, who will be 22 years old when the season begins, piled up 3,423 yards and 26 touchdowns over three seasons in college, and his arrival could be just what Legette needs.
“It opens things up, it creates a little bit of balance—where the field doesn’t tilt one way or the other,” Canales said. “So you have two guys who can make it happen outside and that’s a good thing.”
Legette agrees. He spoke highly of the Panthers’ wide receiver additions, including McMillan and sixth-round pick Jimmy Horn Jr., as well as undrafted signees Jacolby George and Kobe Hudson.
“I feel like that was a great pick for us,” Legette said. “Even the undrafted guys—they’re showing that they can play in this league as well.”
Now surrounded by more firepower, Legette doesn’t have to carry the passing game on his own. That could free him up to lean into his strengths: size, speed and big-play potential. This can help him maximize his potential without the pressure of being Carolina’s No. 1 option.
The Panthers are betting on growth. The first year brought frustration; year two might bring the breakout.
