Panthers second-year WR given lowest confidence rating of 2024 class

The Carolina Panthers traded back up into the first round in 2024 to nab Xavier Legette, a wide receiver from South Carolina. They aimed to get Bryce Young a legitimate WR1 and a dominant weapon, someone who could make plays for his QB. Ultimately, Legette's rocky rookie season led the Panthers to try that again with the eighth pick in 2025, selecting Tetairoa McMillan.

Where does that leave Legette? The Panthers say they're still high on him, but Bleacher Report insider Damian Parson isn't. In fact, out of the eight most notable names from the loaded 2024 WR class, Legette has the lowest confidence rating.

Parson did acknowledge that Legette "battled multiple nagging injuries that played a part in his inconsistent performance." Legette had a groin, wrist, and foot injury, with two needing surgery. However, those injuries did not stop him from getting open, as he averaged 2.6 yards of separation in 2024.

He struggled with drops, as he had seven of the team's 24, and that might be a generous number. Legette had a game where he "dropped" several footballs but was only given one drop statistically. This, however, is something he's worked on throughout the offseason.

"This level of self-awareness and desire to improve leads to upticks in productivity from players. Legette saw a target percentage of 21.4. He did most of his damage on in- and out-breaking routes. Bryce Young does a good job getting the ball out accurately on those routes," Parson said.

Part of the low confidence rating is that while Legette should improve, there are a lot of mouths to feed in Carolina now. Tetairoa McMillan, per Parson, "wins on similar routes to Legette," and the insider thinks Young may struggle with feeding two high-volume target wideouts, as only two in 2024 saw more than 60 targets, which isn't a ton in the first place.

"Legette led the team with 84 last season, but it is not a certainty he will be at the top of that mountain again in 2025. Confidence Meter: 6.5," Parson concluded. The Panthers believe in Legette, and there's some hope that McMillan will open things up for the second-year pro, but there's also reason to think Legette might be relegated behind Adam Thielen, McMillan, and fellow second-year player Jalen Coker.