Draft Analysis: Xavier Legette

• Height: 6’1″
• Weight: 221 lb.
• College: South Carolina
• Tape watched: Georgia, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Carolina
• NFL Comparison: Treylon Burks

Pros

• Athleticism/Frame

Xavier Legette may not have measured quite as tall as analysts expected (reported 6’3″ by South Carolina) at 6’1″, but make no mistake, he is still a physical specimen. He is rocked up muscle-wise, and utilizes it all on the field. He excels at press coverage, contested catch situations, and his downfield route running.

To pair with his physicality, Xavier Legette has legitimate speed. He can take slants to the house if given the smallest window.  Legette can truly take the top off defenses.

• Deep Route Running

While he was a bit limited in his route tree at SC, he was extremely effective in the passing scheme. Legette is dominant on perimeter vertical routes. He dominates deep balls, wearing defensive backs down with his size, strength, and leaping ability. He snaps off comeback and hitch routes very well for his bulky size. Legette uses his chicken wing/elbow out of his break very subtly, but it is extremely effective at creating separation. His routes across the middle were sharp, although he could have done a better job learning to sit in zone pockets.

• Hands

Simply dominant at the catch point, Xavier Legette has strong and powerful hands that consume footballs. Only two credited drops of 97 targets in 2023, Legette is a reliable target with the ball in his catch radius. Legette had average contested catch statistics, but the quality of his downfield contested targets were poor. Spencer Rattler often avoided pressure and threw into double coverage to Legette.

• Release

Physical with great hand usage, Xavier Legette is effective against press coverage. Legette was excellent at leaning on defenders and snapping into his route break. At his size, not many defensive backs can absorb the body blows he can deliver.

Midline

• Blocking

I liked the initial effort Legette showed in the run game, he just finishes his blocks way too infrequently.  He is detailed while stalking his defender, but can give up prematurely on plays. When he gets clamps on defenders he is dominant through his drive phase. Legette can be a difference maker in the run game with growth at the next level.

• YAC

Not the dominant runner I expected to see on tape, but Legette can force missed tackles. He has above average running power he uses to finish his runs off. His lateral agility is average, and it doesn’t create extra space for him to make plays.

Cons

• Agility

A lack of lateral agility could effect Xavier Legette’s potential as a route runner in the NFL. Throwing windows are smaller and corners can mirror-match his release at a higher level than in college. His footwork can be refined, leading to more explosiveness climbing his route stems and breaking off shorter routes.

• Experience

A fifth year senior at South Carolina, Legette’s 2023 season was the only year he produced more than 18 receptions and 200 yards in his 5 years. As a late bloomer and older prospect, Legette has a lot of details to improve to be a starting NFL receiver. Treylon Burks has shown flashes of potential in the NFL, but is working through a lot of similar trait deficiencies that Legette has shown.

Overview

I ranked Treylon Burks my WR1 in the 2022 draft class, and to this point that was misguided. Similarly to Burks, I really like Xavier Legette’s film and traits, but I am afraid the lack of polish and production outside of 2023 cannot be ignored. Legette could have the ceiling of AJ Brown, but he needs to be more aggressive overall and really commit to the speed-size combination that he is best at. Very few NFL receivers make a long career out of downfield contested catches, so Legette needs to make more of an impact behind the sticks and in the intermediate passing game.