The Carolina Panthers added a talented wide receiver prospect to their roster with their first pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

On Thursday, the Panthers traded into the final pick of the first round in a trade with the Buffalo Bills.

The Panthers traded the 33rd and 141st overall picks to the Buffalo for the 32nd and 200th overall picks to select South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette on Day 1.

Selecting Legette in the first round will give the Panthers a valuable fifth-year option if he succeeds in Carolina during his first three seasons.

The Panthers didn’t have a first-round pick coming into Day 1, as their original top pick — the first overall selection — was sent to the Chicago Bears as part of last year’s trade-up to No. 1 to select quarterback Bryce Young.

Legette, 23, will come in and immediately compete for playing time at wideout, which was seen as an obvious need heading into the draft.

While the Panthers acquired Diontae Johnson in an offseason trade, Carolina still had depth concerns at the position, and the franchise was looking for upgrades.

Legette had a breakout campaign during his final year with the Gamecocks, producing 71 catches for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns.

He ran an impressive 4.39-second 40-yard dash at 6-foot-1 and 221 pounds in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Ideally, Legette will outlast last year’s second-round pick Jonathan Mingo for snaps as a rookie. Legette is the highest-drafted wide receiver for the Panthers since DJ Moore was taken with the 24th overall pick in 2018.

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