1 surprising Panthers player who could make or break 2025 NFL season

The Carolina Panthers' wide receiver room is good after drafting Tetairoa McMillan. But another player may be the Panthers' breakout player.

The Carolina Panthers had another disappointing season, finishing 5-12 and missing the NFL playoffs for the seventh consecutive year. Despite this, there are signs of hope. Carolina improved their receiver room by drafting Tetairoa McMillan with the eighth overall pick.

Now, this gives Bryce Young another weapon, and the Panthers' wide receiver room is deeper. Despite that, there is another Panthers' receiver who might make the difference. Xavier Legette could become the Panthers' breakout player who helps shape their season.

Carolina needs all the help it can get after last season. After experiencing a benching, Bryce Young showed promise toward the end. Overall, Young finished with 2,403 yards passing, 15 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Young also ran for 26 yards and six touchdowns. Now, he hopes to improve an offense that ranked 29th in passing yards.

Running the football was not the problem in Carolina. Significantly, Chuba Hubbard ran 250 times for 1,195 yards and 10 touchdowns. Because of that, that was not an issue of importance. After drafting McMillan, the Panthers expect a solid partnership between him and Legette. This brings the story back to Legette and his potential for a breakout in 2025.

Legette finished the 2024 season with 49 receptions for 497 yards and four touchdowns. No, those were not the most incredible stats, but it was reassuring that he played 16 games. Adam Thielen led the Cats with 48 receptions for 615 yards and five touchdowns. If Carolina wishes to take the next step, they must see a leap from Legette.

Despite his rookie struggles, there is potential for Legette to become the Panthers' breakout player. Drafting McMillan puts more pressure on defenders to decide who to guard when playing on defense. Additionally, it gives Legette more time to develop.

But after receiving a below-average grade from Pro Football Focus, Legette must do more to stay relevant in the Panthers' wide receiver room. While Young is under the most pressure to perform, Legette has the potential to help him by breaking out. To become the Panthers' breakout player, he must make some adjustments and take some strides in his play.

Xavier Legette could become the Panthers' breakout player

Legette is a big wide receiver who is a vertical threat while also being multidimensional. He can play on the outside or in the slot. Additionally, his size and speed are a great combination that gives him all the tools to succeed. His ability to run after the catch is also solid.

When the Cats drafted him with the 32nd overall pick in 2024, they expected him to become a vertical threat down the field. Ultimately, he thrives in play-action and deep routes. Some have compared him to Deebo Samuel, yet he does not run nearly as much as he did during his tenure in San Francisco.

Legette is great at contesting catches as his long arms help give him an advantage in this aspect. Furthermore, he runs hard after the catch and puts everything he has when he has the ball in his hands. The Panthers' wide receiver showed some promising traits, giving some people hope that he can continue to improve.

There are some areas where Legette can improve. Notably, his footwork is not the greatest, and he relies too much on his straight-line burst.

While he is a physical threat, he also had eight drops on 81 targets during his rookie season. Often, there were situations where Legette caught the ball with his body instead of his hands. If Legette is to become the Panthers' breakout player, he must beat press coverage. Alarmingly, he struggled against bigger defensive backs last season.

Legette will get his first real test against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. Significantly, he will likely draw Garrett Williams on him.

Williams has been one of the better pass defenders on the Cards. Legette is taller than Williams, so that should allow him to have a big day. If he can take advantage of his height advantage, it can be a great start to the season and a way to show that he has the potential to help Carolina in a big way this season.

Playing with Young last season also allowed him to develop some chemistry with him. Now both players have a lot of pressure on them to perform, but they can help each other succeed and reach the ultimate goal. Having McMillan on the other side can also help the Panthers' receiver become an even better player.

Legette has the potential to be the difference-maker if he can refine his route work and improve consistency. Additionally, if he can resolve his dropping issues, it will benefit him and the team.

Legette profiled as a top receiver when the Cats drafted him. A big goal for him could be to reach 70 receptions for 750 yards and seven touchdowns. Ultimately, hitting those marks would be a big step in his development and help the Cats make strides as they attempt to end a long playoff drought.