The No. 32 overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2024 NFL Draft, Xavier Legette, attributes his improvement to working with cornerback Jaycee Horn.
Legette and Horn shared a roster at the University of South Carolina for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The 2023 season was when Legette really came into her own. The rookie wide out does acknowledge Horn, though, for being the one who elevated his performance.
“Just by his patience, he’s one of the best corners that I’ve ever played with,” Legette remarked of Horn, as reported by David Newton of ESPN. “I have to work on a release because of that. I am unable to apply the same releases to him.
“I have to use my hands and technique to be able to get away from him because he’s really aggressive at the line.”
Legette went on, “I think he’s become much more astute with his game. Even before we are all lined up, he will be shouting out the routes and the reads. And his technique is just flawless.”
Horn is about to have an incredible season. The Panthers chose to pick up his fifth-year option despite his fears about injuries.
He continues to believe that he is among the league’s top defensive backs. To demonstrate this, the Panthers have placed the ball in his court.
Horn is the cornerback selected in the second-fewest number of games, having played 22 of a possible 51.
the top 10 of the draft over the past 20 years.
For a long stretch, Horn has been defined by his injuries. However, when healthy, he looks like one of the most talented defensive backs in the league. Now the Panthers are banking on him living up to that talent again.
