South Carolina Football: Mel Kiper projects a Gamecock in 1st round of NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is later this month, and it feels as if sports outlets are putting out mock drafts, projections, and big boards almost daily. South Carolina football fans know at least two former Gamecocks will go pretty high in the draft, three more have good chances of being selected, and one or two more are names to watch at the very back end of the draft.

In all likelihood, the top USC alum taken in the 2024 NFL Draft will be wide receiver Xavier Legette. With physical tools that will make him an elite athlete at the position, even at the NFL level, Legette has organizations drooling over what he might become if they were to take him with one of their picks.

Most of Legette's draft projections have been between the late 1st round and late 2nd round, and one of the big-name NFL Draft experts who has been highest on #17 is ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr.

Last month, Kiper mocked Legette in the 1st round of the draft to the Detroit Lions. Now, in his latest mock draft, Kiper still has Xavier Legette going in the 1st round, this time to the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. He is the 7th receiver in Kiper's mock, following Marvin Harrison, Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, Xavier Worthy, Brian Thomas, Jr., and AD Mitchell.

The Chiefs need help at wide receiver, especially in the wake of the Rashee Rice legal situation. Playing with quarterback Patrick Mahomes and for head coach Andy Reid is almost a best-case scenario for the Mullins, South Carolina native.

Legette is a good pick for any team that needs help at the position because he can do a lot of things well (he is an excellent deep threat, a speed merchant with the ball in his hands, and a good high-point player on jump balls), and he can contribute in a number of ways on special teams.

Kiper's mock is just rounds 1 and 2, so Legette is the only South Carolina football star in the projection. There is a slight chance quarterback Spencer Rattler moves up into the 2nd round, but he is expected to go a little bit later.