Xavier Legette was throughout social media following the primary spherical of the 2024 NFL Draft. The ultimate decide of the primary spherical by the Carolina Panthers, soccer followers instantly fell in love with movies of his distinct, intensely regional South Carolina accent.
Movies of Legette talking rapidly went viral. Followers from the Carolinas and past couldn’t imagine they hadn’t heard him actually speak earlier than — extra particularly, that they had no thought how intensely nation he sounded. It was sufficient that Legette was requested about his accent throughout his introductory press convention, and he brushed it off with signature attraction.
Exterior of his Pee Dee accent, which comes from a particular a part of South Carolina roughly an hour west of Myrtle Seaside, the story of Xavier Legette is even higher than how he talks. The accent, the southern politeness, they’re simply window dressing for a man who deserves success, and a lot extra after dealing with unbelievable hardship en path to the NFL.
Going through true adversity
Legette was a promising younger soccer participant with every thing forward of him. Coming into ninth grade he was a lock to made the Mullins Excessive College soccer workforce, which might put him on the quick monitor to a school scholarship.
Then, to shut out his freshman yr, Legette’s life was turned the other way up. His mom Anita, died after an extended battle with breast most cancers. It shook the household, and brought on the teenage to close down bodily and emotionally. Xavier’s grandmother Linda, who lived throughout the road from them, did every thing she might to attempt to make him speak about what he was feeling — however to no avail.
Throughout these ensuing months, he shut down. When requested how he was doing, he’d rapidly reply, “I’m high-quality” and shut his lips. He was sitting at school sleeping with a hood draped over his head.
Linda ensured Xavier didn’t waste away emotionally. Enlisting the assistance of the Mullins Excessive College counsellor they taught the promising younger athlete to channel his grief into being productive. The 2 helped flip the tragedy of his mom’s demise into gasoline, making Legette play for her, utilizing his expertise to honor her, and after three months of intense work, Xavier lastly started to show the nook, selecting emerge from the darkness.
Legette turned a drive at Mullins. He performed soccer, basketball, and baseball — turning into quarterback of the varsity workforce, the place he confirmed completely unreal athleticism. A dual-threat QB, Legette ran for over 1,800 yards and scored 19 touchdowns his senior season. His pure place was all the time destined to be extensive receiver, which garnered great recruiting consideration — particularly from South Carolina and Tennessee.
Finally Legette determined to turn out to be a Gamecock, primarily so he might stay nearer to his household. Then with three months left earlier than commencement Xavier Legette was as soon as once more rocked by tragedy.
After shifting previous the grief of dropping his mom, Xavier made a surprising early-morning telephone name to his grandmother.
“I don’t suppose I can go to high school right now,” Legette instructed Linda.
“Whatchu imply you don’t suppose you’ll be able to go to high school?”
“I believe my daddy died,” he stated softly.
“Why do you suppose that?”
“As a result of I can’t wake him.”
“I’m on my means. I’ll be proper there.”
Legette’s father, Anthony, suffered a coronary heart assault in a single day and died in his sleep. He’d now misplaced each mother and father within the span of three years in highschool. Xavier’s grandparents refused to permit him to be misplaced in his grief. As an alternative they introduced him in, ensured he graduated, and would go on to South Carolina.
Expertise is nice I respect grandmother for getting this made for me.. Most could not know however I misplaced my MoM and DAD one rising ninth grade yr and one earlier than I used to be in a position to graduate..It hurts me badly that they did not get to see me graduate lastnight #IWILLNOTGIVEUPONMYSUCCESS pic.twitter.com/zhTpsDqaZH
— Xavier Legette (@XavierLegette) June 8, 2019
Donald Brown, the receivers coach for Mullins excessive, was at his facet when the Panthers chosen him with the No. 32 decide.
“Me and him talked about final week,” Brown stated. “I used to be like, ‘Provided that your mother and pa may very well be right here.’ He stated, ‘Coach, they’re right here.’”
Discovering the proper dwelling
The Panthers have been enamored with Legette from their first time assembly him. It was abundantly clear the workforce have been focusing on him, strive as they could to cover it. Shortly afterh is professional day Legette instructed the media the Panthers wished him, and this was shortly adopted by Bryce Younger’s father advocating for Carolina to take Legette, as he believed he’d be an ideal match for Bryce.
The quickness, the toughness, the chance for home-run performs after the catch — all issues the Panthers desperately want as they transfer previous the disastrous Frank Reich period into a brand new one led by Dave Canales. Equally, the Panthers are the proper workforce for Legette — who made it know previous to the draft that staying in Carolina would make it simpler for his grandparents to return watch him play within the NFL.
Greater than that, the underlying ethos of the Carolina Panthers is tailor made for somebody like Xavier Legette. The workforce’s motto “Preserve Pounding,” is a lesson in perseverance, in by no means quitting — it doesn’t matter what playing cards life offers you. The phrase took place in 2004, when former participant and Panthers legend Sam Mills was battling an aggressive type of intestinal most cancers.
Given just some months to stay, Mills spoke to the Panthers in January — properly previous the prognosis given by docs, and used his personal battle as a means of motivating the workforce as they approached the playoffs. Known as “The Speech,” it lives within the annals of Carolina Panthers historical past.
“Once I came upon I had most cancers, there have been two issues might do: give up or Preserve Pounding,” Mills stated, within the typically accepted summation of what was stated that day. “I’m a fighter. I saved pounding. You’re fighters, too. Preserve Pounding!”
It’s now a rallying cry for combating. For by no means giving up. For staring adversity within the face and selecting to not get swallowed by it — simply as Xavier Legette did after dropping each his mother and father. Legette selected to not let his life, his expertise, slip away. Now he performs in his mother and father’ reminiscence, but additionally for individuals who picked him up and put him on the trail to the NFL.
The very first thing that grabs you when listening to Legette speak is his accent. The second is his relentless positivity. There’s a visceral magnetism when he speaks, and it’s not possible to not have a smile in your face after listening to him. This younger man has handled a lot in his life, and discovered the right way to harness it in direction of turn out to be the very best athlete he could be.
It’s not possible to not be a fan of Xavier Legette.
