The New England Patriots famously missed out on drafting Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf, and A.J. Brown. They selected N’Keal Harry in the 2019 NFL Draft over these other star players. Harry was not a good pick and is one of the larger blemishes on Bill Belichick’s drafting career. However, with the new staff in place in New England, the Patriots may be able to right their wrong in the 2024 NFL Draft. Samuel, Metcalf, and Brown are all big, strong athletes who consistently bully opposing defenders, and it looks like a name in this year’s Draft class is emerging as that same type of receiver. Xavier Legette, receiever from South Carolina, is a very large person to say the least. At six foot three inches, two hundred and twenty seven pounds, Legette has the ability to take over a game, and dominate smaller corners down the field. Legette could be exactly what New England needs to compete in the weapons race of the AFC East.
Legette’s specialty is his run after the catch ability. Once he gets the ball in his hands, he runs almost like a running back. He is strong, fast, and athletic and dares defenders to tackle him, frequently picking up big yardage when the ball gets into his hands. At his size, there were questions about how fast he really was, and he put those questions to rest after his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine. He tested incredibly well, showing off his explosiveness and shocking many people with his forty yard dash. Legette ran a 4.39 second forty yard dash. Running that fast at his size, is nothing short of incredible. Legette is rising up Draft boards, and for good reason.
This year’s receiver draft class is historically talented, and very deep. This means it is inevitable that some receivers will fall into the later rounds and be huge steals for teams. Could we see Legette fall right to the Patriots in the second, third or maybe even fourth round? If so, he could have an immediate impact in Foxborough. Adding a dynamic playmaker who can make great things happen with the ball in his hands, would be a welcome change to the underwhelming Patriots offense.
Where will Legette fall in the NFL Draft?
The real question is where will Legette land in the Draft? Some teams may value his play style more than others, while some teams may see a player that needs some time to develop. Legette could use some work when it comes to his route running. He isn’t as polished in that aspect as some of this year’s prospects and that may scare away some teams. However, if the Patriots see his potential and believe they can develop him into a foundational player, we may see him go as high as the second or third round. Regardless of what other teams believe, if New England wants to bring in a talented playmaker, they should give Xavier Legette a chance.