CAROLINA PANTHERS
Round 1 (No. 32 overall, from Chiefs through Bills): Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina: Catching balls from Spencer Rattler, Legette had a breakout 2023 campaign with 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven TDs. His ability as a returner could also be a huge asset.
Round 2 (46, from Colts) — Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas: Explosive runner who had 1,425 yards and 11 TDs from scrimmage in 2023, averaging 6.7 yards per touch. Might have been a first-round pick had he not torn an ACL last November. Relatively low usage (266 touches in three seasons) could be a boon moving forward. Could unseat Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders atop Carolina’s depth chart.
Round 3 (72, from Jets) — Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky: Could be a replacement for Frankie Luvu in Charlotte given his superior athleticism but needs to bring a lot of refinement to his game.
Round 4 (101) — Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas: Recruited as one of the nation’s top athletes as a five-star tight end and defensive end. Sanders’ athleticism has been on display from the start. He was effective near the goal line but also had memorable big plays with after-thecatch yards. He’s much more of a vertical pass-catcher than he is a blocker, however.
Round 5 (157, from Browns through Vikings and Jets) — Chau Smith-Wade, CB, Washington State: Outside of Jaycee Horn, the Panthers are relying on free agent signings across the defensive backfield in 2024. He’s quick but not fast at 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 184 pounds. He’ll need to move inside in he NFL.
Round 6 (200, from Cowboys through Texans and Bills) — Jaden Crumedy, DT, Mississippi State: Crumedy’s athleticism shows up on tape but only in flashes. If he can stay healthy and string together more periods of consistency, Crumedy could become one of the better interior defensive linemen of this class.
Round 7 (240, from Steelers) — Michael Barrett, LB, Michigan: Michigan’s star-studded defense had many players hearing their names called last weekend. Barrett is the latest and has the play speed and physicality teams look for at the position.