Image via Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Panthers first-round draft pick may have already proven he was worth the risk

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Ian Kayanja | Last updated 5/8/24

Everyone knows Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette is an athletic freak.

But many didn't know he could already be the fastest player in the NFL on day one.

During his final season in college, Legette registered a top speed of 22.3 mph while scoring a 76-yard touchdown against Mississippi State. Well, it turns out that Legette's top speed from the 2023 college season is faster than anyone else in the NFL last season.

READ MORE: "Xavier Legette has a message for Bryce Young the second-year quarterback is sure to love."

Xavier Legette hit a top speed of 22.3 mph on his 76-yard touchdown versus Mississippi St.

That’s faster than any NFL player last season. pic.twitter.com/B53MG9D3nq
— Michael Rimmer (@avl_mike) May 8, 2024

The top ten ball carriers in the NFL range from 22.2 mph to 21.6 mph. Legette's 22.3 mph would make him the fastest player in the league, with only the Seattle Seahawks' D.K. Metcalf behind him.

However, that is quite fitting. Legette was recently compared to Metcalf by an NFL personnel evaluator.

READ MORE: "Carolina Panthers fans get added excitement regarding 2024 rookie class."

“Not quite the athlete Metcalf is but he’s got some game-breaking ability like that, and he can do a little more with versatility as a runner and pass-catcher,” the evaluator said via ESPN's senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler.

Legette is already faster than Metcalf. He has the skillset the Panthers love. Now it is time to see if he can live up to the comparison to the two-time Pro Bowl pass-catcher. If he does live up to that billing, Bryce Young will be a happy quarterback.

READ MORE: "Jonathon Brooks is exactly what the Panthers were hoping for after selecting him in the second round."

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: