South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette was one of college football’s breakout stars during the 2023 campaign. A consistent threat with multiple 100-yard showings under his belt, Legette surpassed 1,000 receiving yards with several games to spare. With his big-play prowess, Legette has been a matchup nightmare for every cornerback he’s encountered this year.
The No. 18 overall player in our latest TDN100 update, Legette spoke exclusively with The Draft Network about his route-running prowess, high-pointing the football, approaching different matchups, and more. Legette also discussed the chemistry he’s developed with starting quarterback Spencer Rattler.
JM: You had 18 catches for 167 yards last season. You’re one of college football’s most improved players this year. What changed for you from last year to this season?
Xavier Legette: I’ve had a lot more opportunities. The appointment of offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains came at the perfect time for me. When he first got the job, we had the Notre Dame bowl game that weekend. That’s when it started clicking for me.
Spencer Rattler and I built a strong relationship throughout those 14 practices leading up to that bowl game. I had a great game, in my opinion. I’ve taken off from there.
JM: You experienced your mini breakout in that Notre Dame bowl game, recording seven catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns…
Xavier Legette: That was a career-high game for me at that moment.
JM: So at that time, you felt like you would build on that performance during the 2023 season?
Xavier Legette: I for sure felt that way. I believe we played that game on a Friday. Believe it or not, that Wednesday, two days before the game, I was telling my teammates that I was trying to be the MVP of that game. I went out there and balled out. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t pick up the victory.
JM: Even before then, you were going up against guys like Cam Smith and Darius Rush in practice last season, who both got drafted into the NFL. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall. How did iron sharpen iron?
Xavier Legette: Those guys are great players. They’re both ultimate competitors. I feel like those guys left their mark on me. They made me go so hard in practice. Going up against them every single day was an experience, to say the least. They prepared me for what I’m doing now. I can’t thank them enough.
JM: When combing through your tape this year, it’s impossible to ignore the nine-catch, 178-yard performance against North Carolina. You also had 217 yards and two touchdowns against Jacksonville State. What was it like being in the zone for those games?
Xavier Legette: I treat every game the same. Who’s going to play harder than me? Nobody. I’ll never let anyone outwork me. That’s just not how I was made. I approach every single game with the same mindset. I don’t play any game differently from the next.
Talking about that Jacksonville State game, it was the same approach as the North Carolina game, and every other game. People perceive that Jacksonville State is an easier team on the schedule. I would never say that. I never think like that. I attack every game the same way.
JM: You’re a big-play threat waiting to happen. You’re averaging more than 18 yards per catch this season. How did you develop that aspect of your skill set?
Xavier Legette: I put in a lot of work during the summer. After every catch, before I finish every workout, I finish the play by running into the end zone. Every ball that I catch during a workout gets taken into the end zone. I burst in for a touchdown.
All I want is touchdowns (laughs). I don’t have as many of them this season as I’d like to (laughs). I don’t have as many as I should. I’m always trying to score a touchdown. If I can get that YAC [yards after catch], I’m getting that YAC.
JM: Talk to me about your ability to create yards after the catch then. It’s one of the biggest things that pops on tape.
Xavier Legette: It’s that breakaway speed in the open field that does it (laughs). That’s the separation. A yard of separation in the SEC is a lot. That means you’re open in the SEC because everybody is so good. I’m trying to find the end zone after every catch.
JM: Watching you in the open field reminds me of some NFL receivers like A.J. Brown or Deebo Samuel. Are there any receivers that you love to study and watch on tape?
Xavier Legette: I love watching D.K. Metcalf. He’s not that much bigger than me. We basically have the same body frame. I love to watch him because he’s a much bigger receiver like I am. I love to watch Keenan Allen as well.
JM: You’re an extremely physical route-runner. Do you have a favorite route to run?
Xavier Legette: No sir, I really don’t. Not necessarily. I’m always working on running better routes. I’m working on all of them. I don’t have a personal favorite or anything like that. In the Lord’s playbook, I’m going to need everything in my bag.
I’m always working on my release package and every route that comes along. As long as I can attack defensive backs and get them on their toes, I’ll always pose a huge threat to them.
JM: Do you approach bigger cornerbacks in coverage differently than you do smaller, shiftier ones? If so, how?
Xavier Legette: Honestly, I don’t really do that because they’re all approaching me the same way nowadays. Lately, everybody has been playing me a little off. They’re playing off coverage. I’m not seeing press coverage. Nobody’s really pressing me. I’m seeing soft press [coverage] at most. Going back to that North Carolina game, they even played me off. It wasn’t hard press.
JM: You’ve developed outstanding chemistry with quarterback Spencer Rattler. How did that come about?
Xavier Legette: My mind goes back to those 14 practices leading up to that bowl game versus Notre Dame last season. That’s when things started really clicking for us. It felt like he was throwing me every ball during those practices (laughs).
I even flew out to Arizona in the summer to continue working on our chemistry ahead of this season. We worked for like three days straight. When we came back for spring practices, we always kept putting in extra work long after practice was finished. We’re always putting in extra work to build that chemistry.
JM: Do you think Spencer Rattler gets the credit he deserves? He’s revived his reputation at South Carolina.
Xavier Legette: I think Spencer Rattler should be getting more credit, I don’t think people are giving him his flowers right now like he deserves. I don’t think people understand everything he does. His arm talent is crazy, man. I’d say he has the most arm talent of any quarterback in college football.
