The Panthers’ blockbuster acquisition of the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft left their 2024 first-rounder in the hands of the Bears. That means Carolina will not be on the clock until the opening selection of the second round this year, but a primary target for that pick appears to be in place. 
Among other roster holes, the Panthers could stand to add at the receiver position. To little surprise, Georgia’s Ladd McConkey is among the prospects which have been connected to Carolina at the No. 33 slot. Another, local prospect at the WR spot could be in play to begin Day 2, though. South Carolina’s Xavier Legette spoke about a potential Panthers selection, making it clear there is a strong interest from the team.
“I’ve met with the Panthers about four or five times,” Legette told John Crumpler of Texans Wire (video link). “The relationship, it just keeps continuing to grow. They’re really hoping I can make it the second round. They keep on telling me if I’m sitting at 33, they’re gonna take me.”
Legette spent his entire five-year college career with the Gamecocks, but it was only in 2023 that he served as a full-time starter. He became the team’s focal point in the passing game, recording 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns. Known to be a strong presence after the catch, the 6-1, 221-pounder averaged 17.7 yards per reception last year.
Those totals earned Legette second-team All-SEC honors and confirmed his status as one of the more intriguing options in a 2024 class loaded in receiver talent. He also has return value, and his special teams experience could help him earn a role right away on the Panthers or any other team he joins. Carolina saw Laviska Shenault depart in free agency, and DJ Chark remains unsigned.
The Panthers have not made a veteran signing at the receiver spot so far, but the team did add a starter by trading for Diontae Johnson. The former Steeler will be joined by the likes of Adam Thielen and Jonathan Mingo in the receiving corps, a unit which has plenty of room for improvement working with quarterback Bryce Young in 2024.
Carolina has, of course, hosted several non-WR prospects on ‘top 30’ visits recently. That includes offensive lineman Jordan Morgan and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland, both of whom could still be on the board when the first round concludes. The Panthers’ first draft action under new general manager Dan Morgan is set to take place at the opening of Day 2, and despite the team’s pre-draft evaluations Legette’s comments certainly put him in pole position to be Carolina’s selection.
Would be a mistake if they do. He’s not even in the top 100 on my big board.
As a Hornets and Oanthers fan it is crazy that these 2 franchises consistently seek out kids from the “local” colleges for these drafts. The Hornets have a long history of UNC and Duke players, and the Panthers ways are rumored to be looking at kids from NC or SC. Do other franchises in other cities do the same thing? Maybe I just don’t notice it everywhere else
*Panthers
Over here in seattle we always wish our teams had more interest in home grown guys
I wouldn’t say that it’s too much. A lot of people say that about their teams, but I can’t remember all that many local (collegiately) players off the top of my head that Carolina has spent draft picks on recently who were drafted far ahead of their rating (Ekwonu and Horn count as examples-local, but a higher rated prospects at the time too). This year, they’ve had an uncommon interest in former Gamecocks particularly, with Clowney signed and Gilmore an interest, plus the potential interest in Legette. Legette is the only draftable player there, though.
I do think it’s true to some extent, though. I think that’s because they’re easier to scout. The schools are closeby, and more importantly, the connections are closer. The people, be they media or football personnel, see and talk about the players, either privately with NFL staffers or through media consumption. So that part is natural. It’s easier to send people to scout the players, being closer. I don’t think that the school’s location by itself will usually move a guy up most draft boards for most staffs, but the side effects do it organically. That said, I don’t think that it’s excessive, at least in Carolina. Players who are rated highly or in a position of need, like Legette, are more likely to be of interest of course, and Legette fills a need in the perfect pick range for the Panthers. That said, how many Panthers starters right now are local guys? It doesn’t seem like a majority.
I will say, though, that the only time that I remember thinking this recently was with the Jags a few regimes ago. They drafted a bunch of Florida university players (from Florida, FSU, and others). Of course, if you’re surrounded by multiple SEC schools in a relatively clise area, and the others are also major conference schools (Big10 or ACC or Big12), you’ll naturally look at a lot of those guys. Carolina’s got South Carolina in the SEC, plus Clemson, North Carolina, Duke, and N.C. State in the ACC as regular NFL producers in the two states that it represents. Add other smaller schools like Wake Forest, and the “local schools” for them add up quickly. Also consider that the spotlight on a local player is greater than a non-local one: fans will remember the local guy’s selection more than a prospect that they didn’t hear as much about, especially if they don’t make it.
To summarize, I don’t think Carolina makes it excessive, but that there are naturally some factors that help that happen. More than that, it seems more common than it is. I wouldn’t say that they have an issue with it in particular.