PANTHERS MAY ALREADY HAVE A MAJOR DRAFT CRUSH

Even Bryce Young's father wants him to be on the Team.  

Good stuff from Unnecessary Bluntness.

Would I be ecstatic?? YES PLEASE

Not really surprising, I don't think.  Leggett has been in the forefront of a lot of conversation in the past couple of weeks. Most of the "noise" is coming from local pundits who think the sun and the moon rise and set in the Gamecocks...  I'm not so certain about that.  Leggett is good, solid, don't get me wrong.  Still, he's not Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, or Mitchell.... or several others. 

Of the big boards I've looked at, the highest I've seen Leggett is the #8 WR. That SHOULD put him down somewhere in the 2nd round (further down..). He's also been down around the #10-12 WR, which could easily drop him into the 3rd.

Right now, I'd say that #33 was too rich for Leggett.  Of course, it's possible that there is a big run on WRs in the 1st. In that case, anything could happen.

Not really surprising, I don't think.  Leggett has been in the forefront of a lot of conversation in the past couple of weeks. Most of the "noise" is coming from local pundits who think the sun and the moon rise and set in the Gamecocks...  I'm not so certain about that.  Leggett is good, solid, don't get me wrong.  Still, he's not Harrison, Nabers, Odunze, or Mitchell.... or several others. 

Of the big boards I've looked at, the highest I've seen Leggett is the #8 WR. That SHOULD put him down somewhere in the 2nd round (further down..). He's also been down around the #10-12 WR, which could easily drop him into the 3rd.

Right now, I'd say that #33 was too rich for Leggett.  Of course, it's possible that there is a big run on WRs in the 1st. In that case, anything could happen.

Well, although I don't consider myself a "pundit", I am a Gamecocks fan and I watched him play at South Carolina.  He was something really special and I said many times last season that he is going to do big things in the NFL. 

I'm not "Homer" enough to think the sun rises and sets in the Gamecocks, but it would not surprise me to see him already off the board by the time we pick in the 2nd round.

If we don't draft him, remember him.   You'll hear his name again ;)

I decided to take a longer look at WRs in the coming draft. Everyone seems to agree that there is a LOT of depth this year in the coming rookie class. The question remains, just ... Where do the WRs rank overall against the other positions. This will determine to a large extent where they are drafted, number-wise.

So... Lets look historically at numbers and draft position back to 2020 (4 yrs of data..), through the first three rounds.  I'm not going to list their names -- although, I will add them if you want me to.

2023....
Four WRs in the 1st rd; Four in the 2nd; Six in the 3rd.
Overall Draft #: 20; 21; 22; 23 --- 39; 50; 55; 63 --- 69; 73; 74; 79; 94; 100
There were 32 WRs (TOTAL) taken in seven rounds.

2022....
Six WRs in the 1st rd; Seven in the 2nd; Four in the 3rd.
Overall Draft #: 8; 10; 11; 12; 16; 18 --- 34; 43; 44; 50; 52; 53; 54 --- 71; 88; 99; 105
There were 28 WRs (TOTAL) taken in seven rounds.

2021....
Five WRs in the 1st rd; Five in the 2nd; Five in the 3rd.
Overall Draft #: 5; 6; 10; 20; 27 --- 34; 49; 56; 57; 59 --- 77; 82; 85; 89; 91 
There were 34 WRs (TOTAL) taken in seven rounds.

2020....
Six WRs in the 1st rd; Seven in the 2nd; Four in the 3rd.
Overall Draft #; 12; 15; 17; 21; 22; 25 --- 33; 34; 42; 46; 49; 57; 59 --- 66; 80; 81; 92
There were 37 WRs (TOTAL) taken in seven rounds.


So... In the past four years (drafts) there have been an average of 16 WRs taken through the first three rounds. An average of 33 WRs taken through all seven rounds.


NOW-- Let's take a look at some of this years Big Boards and projections. (3 Rounds - through #96)

Pro Football Focus Big Board -- WRs By Projected Draft #

Marvin Harrison Jr. #2;  Malik Nabors #4; Rome Odunze #6;  Brian Thomas Jr. #27;  Adonai Mitchell #30;  Ladd McConkey #32;  Troy Franklin #40;  Roman Wilson #47;  Ricky Pearsall #49;  Jermaine Burton #52  ; Keon Coleman #55;  Ja'Lynn Polk #59;  Xavier Legette #63;  Jalen McMillan #65;  Xavier Worthy #68;  Devontez Walker #72;  Javon Baker #76;  Johnny Wilson #79;  Jamari Thrash #83;  Malachi Corley #85;  Brenden Rice #95


NFL Mock Draft Database -- WRs By Projected Draft #

Marvin Harrison Jr. #4;  Malik Nabors #5;  Rome Odunze #6;  Brian Thomas Jr. #19;  Adonai Mitchell #30;  Xavier Worthy #33;  Ladd McConkey #34;  Keon Coleman #35;  Troy Franklin #39;  Xavier Legette #47;  Roman Wilson #51;  Ricky Pearsall #53;  Malachi Corley #59;  Ja'Lynn Polk #60;  Devontez Walker #73;  Brenden Rice #81;  Jermaine Burton #83;  Jalen McMillan #86



Drafttek Top 500 Big Board -- WRs By Projected Draft #

Marvin Harrison Jr. #2;  Malik Nabors #7;  Rome Odunze #8;  Ladd McConkey #25;  Brian Thomas Jr. #30;  Troy Franklin #31;  Adonai Mitchell #34;  Xavier Worthy #35;  Keon Coleman #42;  Ricky Pearsall #43;  Roman Wilson #49;  Devontez Walker #55;  Xavier Legette #62;  Ja'Lynn Polk #73;  Malachi Corley #75;  Jermaine Burton #79;  Brenden Rice #88;  Johnny Wilson #96



Fox Sports Top 100 Big Board -- WRs By Projected Draft #

Marvin Harrison Jr. #2;  Malik Nabors #4;  Rome Odunze #6;  Brian Thomas Jr. #10;  Keon Coleman #26;  Adonai Mitchell #33;  Roman Wilson #48;  Xavier Worthy #50;  Brenden Rice #53;  Ladd McConkey #63;  Troy Franklin #67;  Xavier Legette #72;  Malachi Corley #74;  Ricky Pearsall #85;  Devontez Walker #87;  Luke McCaffrey #92;  Jermaine Burton #93


So... What does all of this mean..??? ---  Uhh...Hmm... I don't know.  I've checked several other boards as well.  Legette is averaging in the mid 60s on most boards. That puts him at the bottom of the 2nd round or top of the 3rd. Let it be known here: I have no dog in this fight. I don't follow college football too closely, and I don't have a favorite college team.  I LOVE football. I watch some games and follow the BCS stuff.  But don't get me wrong. I don't wear college colors, paint my face, do the "chop", or sing the anthems.  If that makes me an idiot or a poor excuse for a fan --- well, so be it.  Other than the Panthers, I really don't care that much.

Don't get me wrong, I would take Troy Franklin with no problems, but whoever drafts Xavier Legette is getting a gem.

Don't get me wrong, I would take Troy Franklin with no problems, but whoever drafts Xavier Legette is getting a gem.

I think you're probably right. He's big and strong. Should be a solid receiver. Just not sure how you quantify his skills against other top competition. I'm glad I don't make these decisions...