Xavier Legette striving to 'be the change' for hometown amid NFL Draft preparation
Like many youth football players learning the game, Xavier Legette dreamed of playing in the NFL. His journey started in his hometown of Mullins, South Carolina – about 45 miles outside Myrtle Beach with a population of about 3,900.
How big the town is, he said, might be up for debate.
“They say it’s 3,800 people, but it’s really less than that,” Legette told 5GOATs via Zoom from the Panini America VIP event in Las Vegas ahead of the Super Bowl. “I think they’re really combining those. I think it’s only 2,000, 2,500 people there. It’s real small.”
After starring at Mullins High School – enrollment, 510 – Legette enrolled at South Carolina and spent five years with the Gamecocks. His college career ended in grand fashion as he hauled in 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns. Now, he’s hoping to hear his name called in April’s NFL Draft, and he’s a projected late-first or early-second round pick in some mock drafts.
But he also knows the importance of remembering where he came from.
“I just want to be the change for my community,” Legette said. “Let folks know that we can do it.”
Legette received plenty of hometown support during his high school and college careers. He came out of Mullins as a three-star recruit and the No. 109-ranked wide receiver from the 2019 recruiting cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
Coming off his impressive senior season, Legette might not have to wait long to come off the draft board. He came in as the No. 45 overall pick in ESPN analyst Matt Miller’s two-round mock draft, and CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli projected him to the Buffalo Bills as the No. 28 overall selection in the first round of his latest mock.
Still, Legette is keeping things in perspective as he goes through the pre-draft process.
“The reason why it’s so great for me and I feel like I’m so blessed to be where I’m at right now is where I’m from, a lot of folks don’t get this opportunity to be in the position I am right now,” Legette said. “I’m just blessed and highly grateful for everything that’s come my way.”
Xavier Legette: There’s ‘another level of excitement’ from hometown fans with NFL Draft chatter building
Of course, through his partnership with Panini – the exclusive trading card partner of the NFL – Xavier Legette will also get his own trading card available in hobby stores, Walmarts and Targets across the country. That means those back home in Mullins can get their hands on one.
In fact, Legette’s goal is to find a way to make sure the younger generation can get the cards.
“Hopefully, I’ll be able to collect a lot of my Panini cards and just pass them out to my elementary school, the middle school and the kindergarten. Just hand it out to any kids,” Legette said. “I feel like that’d be something great for them.”
The next step in Legette’s journey to the NFL is the combine later this month. He was one of 321 players invited to Indianapolis, joining South Carolina teammates Spencer Rattler, Trey Knox, Nick Gargiulo and Marcellas Dial. That begins the final stretch to draft day as he waits to find out where he’ll play his rookie season.
With just over two months to go, there’s still plenty of time for Legette to present his case to scouts. As he does, he also has support coming from back home. If there’s one thing to know about small towns, they certainly rally around those who go on to do big things.
“Everybody, they’re just excited for me,” Legette said. “I can always feel the love when I go home. I don’t want to say I’ve always been a big name in my city, but ever since I’ve been in rec ball, I’ve been doing very good in football and the sports I also played – basketball and baseball – as well. Ever since I was coming up, I always succeeded in those sports, as well. I’ve always had a good amount of hype around my name.
“But everybody getting to see where they’re having me projected and things like that, it’s just another level of excitement, everything going out the roof. When I go back home, folks are hitting me up on my social media apps and everything like that. It’s just a whole lot of excitement and joy.”