CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The 2024 NFL draft (ESPN, ABC, ESPN App) began Thursday night in Detroit and will wrap up on Saturday.
ESPN will provide pick-by-pick analysis of each of the Carolina Panthers' selections as they are made.
A look at each of Carolina's scheduled selections:
Analysis of every pick | Updated depth chart
Round 1, No. 32 overall: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina (via Buffalo)
My take: Coach Dave Canales said it best: Legette brings versatility. The Panthers absolutely fell in love with Legette's ability to make plays all over the field, from catching passes to jet sweeps to kick returns. That versatility at a skill position is something Bryce Young didn't have last season, so this adds a unique weapon to take pressure off the second-year quarterback. He is also big (6-foot-1, 221 pounds) and fast (4.39 40), unlike any other Carolina receiver. He's a perfect fit for what Canales wants to create with the pass and run games.
Will he start as a rookie?: While Canales said Legette has a ways to go, his versatility should put him on the field with starters Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen. And he should get the nod over Jonathan Mingo, who was inconsistent at best as a rookie last year. The versatility that Canales "loves" is something they want to build around offensively.
Key stat: Legette had 10 catches on throws of 30-plus air yards last season at South Carolina, tied for the second-most in FBS. The Panthers had one reception on throws of 30-plus air yards last season, the fewest in a season since the Bengals had zero in 2020.
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Round 2, No. 46 (from Rams): Jonathan Brooks, RB, Texas
My take: As much as Canales has said he's excited about backs Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders, he obviously believed the running game needed an upgrade. You don't take a back in the second round unless you plan to use him, although Brooks may need time to fully recover from ACL surgery that caused him to miss the final three games last season. He's a playmaker who has a nose for the end zone (10 touchdowns on 187 carries last season), and general manager Dan Morgan said he was looking for guys who can score.
Key stat: At time of his injury, Brooks was sixth in FBS in rushing yards (1,139) and had broken or evaded 63 tackles, second most in the FBS at that point. He also had 11 rushes of 20-plus yards, including four for touchdowns. The Panthers had nine total rushes of 20-plus yards and one touchdown in 2020. He's dynamic, something the Panthers haven't had since trading Christian McCaffrey.
Look back at some of the best plays from Trevin Wallace at Kentucky this past season.
Round 3, No. 72: Trevin Wallace, LB, Kentucky
Remaining picks
Round 4: No. 101
Round 5: No. 157
Round 6: No. 200 (from Buffalo)
Round 7: No. 240 (from Pittsburgh)