Standing out in an NFL Draft class with such diverse talent at wide receiver is an incredibly difficult task. It’s practically impossible if you’ve totaled 423 yards in the first four college football seasons. South Carolina’s Xavier Legette has practically done the impossible, and he accomplished it within the first four weeks of the college season. What does his NFL Draft scouting report look like?
Xavier Legette Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’3″
- Weight: 227
- Position: Wide Receiver
- School: South Carolina
- Current Year: Senior (Fifth Year)
Legette is massive. He’s a throwback to a bygone era of big, physical “X” receivers that bullied their way down the field while bullying defensive backs at the top of routes, back when defenders were allowed to play physically.
I suspect Legette must have been a “late bloomer.” His recruiting profile lists him at a hair over 200 pounds at 6’0″ tall. Sports Reference lists him at 6’1″, 217 pounds. Considering he practically looks like a tight end on the outside, it’s probably safe to say he kept growing as others had already finished.
MORE: 2024 NFL Draft Big Board
247Sports was the only outlet to hand him a four-star rating as a recruit. ESPN and Rivals gave him three stars, and none of the big three gave him a national ranking. Like most who are the best athletes at their high school, Legette played quarterback as a senior.
Legette Scouting Report
Strengths
- Height/Weight/Speed anomaly
- Outstanding catch radius
- Impressive start/stop as a route runner
- Good spring as a ball carrier
- Punishing against tacklers
- Physical run blocker (when he wants to be)
- Good pacing and strong releases allow him to stack DBs vertically
- Snappy reaction to finish catches thrown as he’s turning to the QB
- Cross-field weapon
- High-points well and shows sideline awareness
- Attacks blind spots well
- Return upside
Weaknesses
- One year of production
- Explosion on releases doesn’t carry over to screen game
- Although slow to take down, doesn’t break as many tackles as you’d like
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Through September, Legette has already seen a meteoric rise from his once-nonexistent draft stock. Yet, the hype around him is still relatively muted compared to the names that have been around for a while.
The NFL has turned into a speed game. Route running is still as important as it ever was, but teams are finding ways to confuse modern coverages with deep crossing patterns, and that’s a role that Legette would excel in.
However, that doesn’t mean he struggles as a route runner, either. His start/stop ability and impressive understanding of how to attack blind spots and a defensive back’s leverage allow him to separate at a high level.
According to Reel Analytics, Legette hit 22.3 MPH against Mississippi State, which is the highest mark in college football through five weeks of play. His 29.4-yard kickoff return average in 2022 was a South Carolina record, and nobody in college football has more yards or is averaging more yards through four games.
There is a legitimate chance Legette goes from a complete unknown to a first-round pick, even with so many outstanding receivers in this class. Continuing to toy with SEC defenses is about the best way to secure legitimate draft stock.
NFL Draft Scouting Reports
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