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.

Legette was the seventh overall receiver taken on Thursday. The Panthers still have six more picks in the draft class, including the 39th overall pick in the second round.

CAROLINA PANTHERS’ REMAINING DRAFT PICKS

—First round, 32nd overall pick (via Buffalo Bills through Kansas City Chiefs): Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina

—Second round, 39th overall pick (via the New York Giants)

—Third round, 65th overall pick

—Fourth round, 101th overall

—Fifth round, 142nd overall (via Tennessee Titans)

—Sixth round, 200th overall (via Bills)

—Seventh round, 240th overall (via Pittsburgh Steelers)

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