Understanding Mullins, South Carolina native Xavier Legette isn’t always easy.
Early in the NFL offseason, Legette went viral on social media for his thick South Carolina accent. Then on draft night, his famed accent received more adulation, vaulting him to fan-favorite status before he played a single down.
Xavier Legette’s accent should boost his draft stock pic.twitter.com/oTEpYXdU3b
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 14, 2024
During the Back Together Saturday session of training camp, Bryce Young, the Panthers’ second-year quarterback, gave NFL Network some much-needed advice to understand what Legette says.
“You just gotta lock in,” Young said. “Can’t look away, can’t do something else. You got to lock in when he’s talking, and then you’ll hear.
“If you’re not paying attention, it still catches me off. But yeah, it’s funny. We have some fun in the locker room.”
“You gotta lock in when he’s talking.” @_bryce_young tells @CameronWolfe that he’s still getting used to @XavierLegette‘s accent. 😂
📺: Back Together Weekend on @NFLNetwork, ABC, ESPN
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/SArNSlsfZb— NFL (@NFL) July 27, 2024
Legette knows his accent has drawn some appreciation from NFL fans.
In early April, the rookie wide receiver was asked about people’s affinity for how he speaks by Karringtan Harris of WFMY News. He appreciates the love but doesn’t understand why everyone finds his accent endearing.
“They’ve been dragging it all over social media,” he said. “I just tell folks they really just ain’t never heard nobody talk from Mullins.”
Show some love to the new guy ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/GwJvSxHELS
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) April 26, 2024
Legette’s accent may have endeared him to the Panthers faithful. However, what will make or break his time in Charlotte is if he becomes the go-to option for Young.
All signs point to that happening, as Legette continues to hold himself to a higher standard than most rookie wide receivers would at the start of training camp.
“First training camp, it started pretty slow for me,” Legette said. “I feel like it wasn’t my best, but we got time to continue to make it better. I get upset with myself about things like that, when I feel like I didn’t have the best day and didn’t leave everything out there on the field.”
As for Dave Canales’ impression of Legette, the Panthers’ head coach knows that he has the talent to be remembered for more than merely the way he speaks.
“The athletic traits — height, weight, speed — 6-1, 221. 4.39. Really balanced hands. That’s a pretty good start,” Canales said after the Panthers drafted the South Carolina receiver at the end of the first round. “Then you look at the versatile ways the Gamecocks were able to use him — out of the backfield, jet sweeps, short crossers, perimeter screens, down-the-field posts. There really isn’t much else we do with receivers. He’s done it all.”
In terms of accent and talent, Legette checks nearly every box.
