South Carolina Football: Gamecock playmaker makes two midseason All-Star lists

South Carolina football fans firmly expected one of their favorite team’s wide receivers to be all over the midseason award lists and a shoo-in for postseason All-Star acknowledgments. However, most of them thought Antwane “Juice” Wells would be that receiver.

Instead, the preseason All-American has barely played due to a foot injury (though, his one drive against Georgia was an elite showing). In his stead, fellow senior receiver Xavier Legette has stepped up in a major way.

Legette, now in his fifth year in garnet and black, had struggled with consistent production in previous seasons. The Mullins High School graduate had tallied just 423 yards in his four years in Columbia from 2019-2022.

Things have improved drastically for #17.

In the season opener, he set a new season high for receiving yards with 178 yards against North Carolina (his previous high was 167). He broke that a few weeks later with 187 yards against Mississippi State.

Despite playing just 5 games, Legette is still in the top-7 nationally in receiving yards, and he has caught six of nine downfield contested targets this year, one of the best marks in the country. He is just behind Alshon Jeffery’s record-breaking 2010 pace.

For his efforts, Legette is being recognized as one of the top receivers in all of college football.

Pro Football Focus has named Legette to their Midseason All-Prospect Team. After coming into the season as an afterthought in NFL Draft circles (projected to be undrafted or a late-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft), Legette is now the 37th-ranked prospect in next year’s draft.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl named Legette a Midseason All-American. The Senior Bowl has been good to the South Carolina football program in recent years, as well. Former Gamecocks like Darius Rush, Zacch Pickens, Deebo Samuel, and Kingsley Enagbare have made themselves a lot of money with strong performances in the postseason all-star event.

Legette and his South Carolina football team will take on the Florida Gators this weekend in front of a sold-out Williams-Brice Stadium at 3:30 on the SECNetwork and ESPN app.