KC Chiefs 2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette

Should KC opt to take a risk at receiver in the draft, could Legette be the pick for them?

Mar 1, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette (WO14) talks to the media during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 NFL Draft is approaching, and the Kansas City Chiefs will soon have plenty of chances to get younger and perhaps improve their roster in the process.

Coming off another Super Bowl victory, Kansas City boasts a good blend of established veteran leadership and cost-controlled players on rookie contracts. General manager Brett Veach has done a nice job constructing a contending roster, although the pressure is always on to keep the franchise's championship window wide open. Getting singles, doubles and even home runs in the draft is a good way to do that, and wide receiver could be a position of focus for the Chiefs.

With the draft on the horizon, Arrowhead Report is taking a look at prospects who could hear their names called. Up next is South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette.

Background

• Height: 6010
• Weight: 221
• Age at draft: 23
• Relative Athletic Score: 9.90
• 2023: 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns
• Played all five seasons at South Carolina

Where Legette creates advantages

Legette profiles as a potential 'X' receiver in the NFL, which is backed up by his size. He's a well-built player with respectable length, which helps him both at the catch point and after he hauls in the football. Legette is a quick accelerator at the line of scrimmage and gets going quickly once the catch is completed. The ramp-up and speed transition game is a major element of his profile. Legette's contested catch upside at the next level seems legitimate.

As far as usage is concerned, Legette could be a fun player often in his professional career. He has some alignment versatility in his repertoire and can also double as a special teams option to boot. The longtime South Carolina man broke out in a major way during his fifth year as a Gamecock and backed up that perceived growth with a great pre-draft process. Legette boasts intriguing vertical upside and impressive hands that make him a reliable catcher.

Where Legette could be at a disadvantage

The elephant in the room for Legette is his 2023 breakout. Before that, he didn't showcase much at all on the field. Despite his age, he's a somewhat raw route runner who doesn't display the ability to tempo his routes or utilize an expansive tree. While he tested well from a straight-line standpoint and is undoubtedly a nice athlete, Legette's horizontal athletic profile (hip fluidity and agility) is a minor question mark.

As a result of the aforementioned "shortcomings," Legette's ceiling is very much a concept and very much not a real thing right now. He can't be thrown on the field as a rookie and expected to be a fully developed player, which isn't good considering the age. Professional defensive backs won't be intimidated by his size and will force him to develop more thorough releases, a full route tree and accurate hand fighting during the rep.

The verdict

The 2024 NFL Draft's wide receiver class is one of the better ones in recent memory, which is saying quite a bit. This is a prime year for teams to add a pass catcher into the fold, especially considering the depth of the group overall. No matter where a club is picking or how many selections are at their disposal, there should be a chance to add a solid playmaker.

There aren't many prospects with more wide-ranging opinions on them than Legette. His supporters have him as a possible first-round pick, whereas others think he's as low as a fourth-rounder. His size and linear athleticism can't be denied, however, nor can his ceiling if things break right. The only massive question — and it's a serious one — is if that development can take place.

For the Chiefs, Legette would make a decent amount of sense. Not only can he factor into the return game, but Andy Reid would undoubtedly find ways to get him involved on offense. The size and ideal long-term role as an 'X' also could pique the interest of Kansas City. This writer believes Legette is a late Day Two pick, but it wouldn't be a surprise at all to see him go sooner.

Read More: Chiefs Draft Scouting Report: FSU WR Johnny Wilson