NFL insider names Xavier Legette among Panthers players with the most to prove

The Carolina Panthers traded back into the first round last year in the draft and selected Xavier Legette, a player they hoped could be Bryce Young's top weapon. That didn't materialize like the team envisioned, as Legette enjoyed an underwhelming and inconsistent rookie season. Now, in year two, with more competition on the roster, the pressure is on.

According to Joseph Person of the Athletic, Legette is one of seven players with a lot to prove in a key 2025 season. There is such a thing as a sophomore slump, but for Legette's sake, he will need to avoid anything but clear improvement in 2025.

Person said that Legette's shortcomings prompted the selection of Tetairoa McMillan. "Had Legette, last year’s first-round pick, shown more in his first NFL season, there’s a chance Georgia edge rusher Jalon Walker would be in Charlotte for OTAs this month as the Panthers’ pick at No. 8. But Legette struggled with drops and inconsistency in 2024 and did not look like a No. 1 receiver."

Carolina Panthers football player Xavier Legette on the Kentucky Derby red carpet. May 03, 2025 | Maggie Huber/Special to Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

He noted that the Panthers say their selection of McMillan has nothing to do with Legette, but the optics beg to differ. "Perhaps McMillan’s arrival takes some pressure off Legette, who battled wrist and foot injuries (the latter of which required offseason surgery) during an up-and-down rookie year," Person added.

For what it's worth, several analysts have said that McMillan's arrival will only help Legette and that it should make him a better player. Legette played a lot of 2024 out of position. McMillan can be that receiver now, allowing Legette to go back to being what's called the Z receiver. McMillan is a true X, so Legette won't have to play there.

Still, it certainly seems as if Legette wasn't good enough in the Panthers' eyes, so they went after McMillan instead. It's never a bad idea to have two or more young receivers with a young QB, but the Panthers could've addressed it later if Legette had been better.

The other players Person said have some pressure to perform in 2025 are Bryce Young, Jaycee Horn, Ikem Ekwonu, Tershawn Wharton, Cade Mays, Austin Corbett, and Ja'Tavion Sanders.

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