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Xavier Legette Dynasty Value

By Jared Smola | Updated on Mon, 15 Apr 2024 . 9:29 PM EDT

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Xavier Legette looks like a classic bust from an analytical perspective. He didn't break out until he was a 22-year-old, fifth-year college player.

But the tape is exciting. Legette's combination of size and speed makes him lethal after the catch and going deep.

Should you be willing to overlook the shoddy college production profile?

Let's dive in ...

Xavier Legette Dynasty Values

To see Xavier Legette's value for your exact league setup, check out our Dynasty Draft War Room.

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Xavier Legette Draft Profile

Xavier Legette Combine Results

Percentiles vs Combine wide receivers since 1999, per MockDraftable

Xavier Legette College Stats

Fifth-Year Breakout

Legette turned in one of the more impressive 2023 campaigns among this year’s incoming WRs. His 1,255 receiving yards were the eighth-most in the country. And the market shares were big:

• 25.1% of South Carolina’s receptions
• 37.6% of the receiving yards
• 33.3% of the receiving TDs

Legette’s 35.5% Dominator Rating (share of yards and TDs) ranked fifth among 41 of the top WRs in the 2024 class.

He averaged a big 3.15 yards per route, 11th among 286 qualifying WRs and ahead of every notable prospect in this year’s class besides Malik Nabers, Marvin Harrison, Troy Franklin, and Javon Baker. Legette’s 86.9 Pro Football Focus receiving grade ranked 16th among those 286 qualifiers.

He was named second-team All-SEC and a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist.

But why did it take Legette until his fifth college season to, not just break out, but even reach 200 receiving yards?

Let’s run through his journey to that big 2023 season ...

High School QB

Legette played RB and WR for most of his early football career. But he transitioned to QB for his senior season at Mullins High School in South Carolina, throwing for 887 yards and 14 TDs and racking up 1,826 rushing yards with 19 scores.

Legette was labeled a three-star “athlete” by most recruiting services but enrolled at South Carolina as a WR and spent his entire five-year career there.

Hamstring Injury and Motorcycle Accident

Legette played in 11 of South Carolina’s 12 games as a freshman. He ranked fourth among the team’s WRs in snaps and pass routes but caught just nine of 20 targets.

He was limited to six games in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, missing four contests with a hamstring injury. Legette only recorded a reception in three of his six outings.

His 2021 campaign was interrupted in September when he suffered minor injuries in a motorcycle accident. Legette missed two games and then totaled just 8 catches over South Carolina’s final nine contests.

No Excuses in 2022

Legette finally had a healthy season in 2022, playing in all 13 of South Carolina’s games. 

But he still failed to make much of an impact on offense. Legette ranked just fifth among Gamecocks WRs in pass routes. He tied for seventh on the team in catches and finished 10th in receiving yards.

Legette managed just 1.12 yards per route run. The rest of South Carolina's WRs averaged 2.43 combined.

Legette was at least awesome in the return game. He took 15 kick returns for 441 yards – a school-record 29.4-yard average – and 1 TD.

Still, it was a majorly underwhelming season for a 21-year-old, fourth-year receiver.

Xavier Legette Highlights

Games watched: North Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi State, Florida

There are two clear strengths to Legette’s game:

1. After-catch skills
2. Downfield ability

Big and Fast After the Catch

Legette is a nightmare with the ball in his hands. He’s a 6’1, 221-pounder with long-striding speed. (His 1.78-second “flying 20” tied WR Brian Thomas Jr. for the fastest at the Combine.) If he gets a runway, not many guys are gonna catch him.

Legette outruns four Mississippi State defenders for this 76-yard TD.

That speed helps him defeat No. 7’s angle on this jet sweep:

If Legette doesn’t get a runway to build up that speed, he has enough power to bust tackles and pick up a bunch of yards after contact.

He uses a speed move and leg drive (with the help of a teammate) to pick up 8 yards after contact here:

Big and Fast Going Deep

That same combination of size and speed makes Legette a dangerous weapon going deep. He quickly chews up cushions and glides by DBs with his sub-4.4 speed.

Legette adds to that an impressive ability to track the ball and make contested grabs.

He works back through contact to snare this underthrown deep ball.

Legette gives the defender no chance to break up this bomb, shielding him with his big frame and then high-pointing the ball.

Strong Hands

Legette has one of the best pairs of hands in this year’s WR class. He dropped just 2.7% of his catchable targets last season, per Pro Football Focus, and is comfortable making catches away from his frame.

Where Does Legette Need to Improve?

Legette will enter the NFL as a relatively raw receiver. He can struggle against press coverage (despite his size) and needs to refine his route running. 

Legette is faster than he is quick and is not the most agile receiver. So I wonder if he has the capacity to develop into an asset on short and intermediate routes.

Dynasty Value Conclusion

It's easy to fall in love with Legette's tape. At 221 pounds with sub-4.4 speed, he boasts a truly elite combination of size and speed. He's powerful after the catch, dangerous going deep, and has a strong pair of hands.

In the most optimistic view, Legette's game has shades of Deebo Samuel (after the catch) and D.K. Metcalf (downfield ability).

This Year's Jonathan Mingo?

But Jonathan Mingo is a much more realistic comparison. Like Legette, Mingo impressed on tape with his skills after the catch and downfield.

But also like Legette, Mingo entered the NFL with a worrisome college production profile. Then he turned in an ugly rookie season that has him looking like a bust.

That's the most realistic outcome for Legette considering the fact that he'll be a 23-year-old rookie needing lots of refinement.

There's certainly upside thanks to his raw tools. But there's a good chance Legette will be overvalued in your dynasty rookie draft.

His rookie ADP currently sits 11th among WRs and 20th overall -- a tad higher than he sits in our dynasty rankings.

Player Team Fit: San Francisco 49ers

Legette needs a smart play caller to maximize his skill set -- at least early in his career. A play caller who can find ways to get the ball in his hands to take advantage of his after-catch ability.

Who better than Kyle Shanahan? The 49ers are routinely at the top of the league in yards after catch.

San Francisco, of course, has a pair of awesome WRs in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. But it will be tough for the Niners to afford both guys beyond 2024.

Legette could spend a season developing as the No. 3 WR before potentially earning a big role in 2025 and beyond.

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