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Buccaneers Brought In Highly Touted SEC Wide Receiver For Pre-Draft Visit

South Carolina's Xavier Legette has been on the radar of quite a few NFL teams.

River Wells

Sep 2, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Xavier Legette
Sep 2, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Xavier Legette / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
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Certain prospects are in high demand during draft season, even if they aren't necessarily considered a first-round pick. One of those players is South Carolina's Xavier Legette, who has visited with quite a few NFL teams.

Legette told The Draft Network in an interview that he'd visited with 14 teams during his pre-draft process, and one of those teams was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Legette is unlikely to be a first-round pick, but he could be an option in later rounds for teams looking to nab a wide receiver.

Legette is considered a Day 2 player by The Draft Network's own scouting report. The report notes Legette's athleticism and impressive contested catch skills, but notes his limited production for a five-year senior, his small route tree and his lack of run-blocking ability. His one year of production came last year, when he caught 71 passes for 1,255 yards and 7 touchdowns with the Gamecocks.

There's an added level of intrigue when it comes to the Bucs, though. Tampa Bay recently hired Bryan McLendon as its wide receivers coach, who most recently developed wideouts at the University of Georgia. Before that, though, he was with South Carolina in 2019, so he has some experience working with Legette. Should the Buccaneers draft him, it would be a possible reunion.

Tampa Bay just signed Mike Evans to a two-year extension, but he is growing older and it's becoming likely that Chris Godwin may depart next offseason. Should that be the case, the Bucs will want to secure the future at wideout, and Legette could be the answer.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2024 offseason.

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River Wells
RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.