Patriots draft profile: Xavier Legette could add size and speed at wide receiver

Legette could be a playmaker New England’s offense badly needs.

Wide receiver has been an area of weakness for New England for a number of years now, and addressing that is going to be one of the top goals for Eliot Wolf and a reshuffled Patriots front office in the 2024 NFL Draft.

South Carolina product Xavier Legette could be a top option for New England on Day 2. With explosive testing and electric highlights, could he be the jolt the team’s offense needs?

Hard facts

Name: Xavier Legette

Position: Wide receiver

School: South Carolina

Opening day age: 23 (1/29/2001)

Measurements: 6’1”, 221 lbs, 31 7/8” arm length, 9” hand size, 4.39 40-yard dash, 40” vertical jump, 10’6” broad jump, 9.92 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Career statistics: 53 games (32 starts) | 1,609 offensive snaps, 439 special teams snaps | 173 targets, 113 catches (65.3%), 1,678 yards, 12 TDs | 12 carries, 17 yards | 29 kickoff returns, 767 yards, 1 touchdown

Accolades: Second-team All-SEC (2023), Senior Bowl All-American Team (2023)

Legette was recruited out of Mullins High School in South Carolina in 2019 after spending his senior year at quarterback. He threw for 887 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 1,826 yards with 19 scores.

At South Carolina, Legette took time to transition from quarterback to wide receiver. He started 20 games in his first four seasons with the Gamecocks but accumulated just 423 receiving yards on 42 receptions.

Then, the receiver broke out as a super senior. In his fifth year at South Carolina, Legette finished second in the SEC in receiving with 1,255 yards. That was more than four times as many as his next best teammate; Trey Knox finished with 312 receiving yards. On a team with few weapons and a weak offensive line, quarterback Spencer Rattler turned to Legette time and time again to generate offense and was rewarded as the breakout star made play after play. With his 71-reception, seven-touchdown performance in 2023, Legette went from someone who would be lucky to be signed as an undrafted free agent to a likely Day 2 pick.

Draft profile

Expected round: 2-3 | Consensus big board: No. 49 | Patriots meeting: Scouting Combine

Strengths: The first thing that stands out about Xavier Legette is his athleticism. His impressive testing shows up on tape, with his jumping ability showcased on contested catch situations and his speed after the catch jumping off the screen.

South Carolina moved him around the formation, aligning him outside and in the slot. Legette showed an ability to beat press coverage, although the Gamecocks often put him in motion at the snap to dictate matchups and use his momentum against overmatched defensive backs.

As a route runner, Legette is at his best on deep crossing routes where his ability to open up his speed to get away from defenders across the field shows up. He’s also strong on comebacks and curls along the boundary where he can snap off a route and use his frame to win at the catch point.

Weaknesses: While Legette is a fantastic athlete, his biggest weakness is his stiffness as a route runner. He is inconsistent as a route runner, often over exaggerating his steps at the break point allowing defensive backs to make up ground. In some ways, his issues creating separation quickly mirror those of N’Keal Harry with a stiff lower body and subpar footwork.

Legette won a lot at the college level by being bigger and stronger than the players around him. Will that translate to the NFL, where he’ll be contending with fully-grown adults and not 19- or 20-year-old corner backs?

Add in the track record of prospects who do not find success until late in their college careers, and there are some red flags around Legette as a prospect. He is clearly an NFL athlete, but his technique is still raw. Is that the result of converting to wide receiver late and something that can be improved at the next level, or has he already maxed out his physical ability? Your answer to that question will determine whether you view Legette as a viable candidate for the Patriots at pick No. 34 or someone you wouldn’t touch before Day 3.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Legette would likely step into a role similar to what the Patriots imagined for Calvin Ridley. He would be used primarily outside but could be moved around in key situations to create matchups. Legette would also be put into run after catch situations with screens and underneath drag routes that would allow him to get the ball in space.

What is his growth potential? If Legette can develop into his athletic traits, he can be a true difference maker at wide receiver for the Patriots. He is capable of being the top receiver in an offense who can handle a huge share of targets.

Does he have positional versatility? Legette was also a kick returner for South Carolina, returning 25 kicks for 654 yards and a touchdown in his last two seasons with the Gamecocks.

Why the Patriots? The Patriots need receivers, and they want to get faster on offense. Legette checks both of those boxes. He also has traits that show he can play outside the numbers, allowing DeMario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne to play more in the slot where they’re most comfortable.

Why not the Patriots? Legette is not a wide receiver prospect for everyone, and there are real red flags with his profile. The Patriots may not be interested in him at the price point the NFL may dictate and could choose any number of other receiving prospects in this range if they prefer someone younger or with a longer history of production.

One-sentence verdict: Xavier Legette is an explosive athlete with fun film whose late breakout and issues separating against man coverage may not make him a fit for every team.

What do you think about Xavier Legette as a potential Patriots target? Could he be a great addition to New England’s receiving corps? Or would other players be a better fit? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.