The Panthers also selected Kentucky linebacker Trevin Wallace in the third round, Washington State cornerback Chau Smith-Wade in the fifth, Mississippi State defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy in the sixth and Michigan linebacker Michael Barrett in the seventh.

Legette didn’t exceed 18 catches in a season during his first four years at South Carolina. However, the 6-foot-2, 221-pound wideout emerged from the shadows this past season with 71 receptions for 1,255 yards and seven touchdowns, going from relative unknown to first-round draft pick.

Brooks was the first running back off the board at No. 46. It was the second-longest wait for a running back to be selected in the NFL draft behind Bishop Sankey, who was taken No. 54 in 2014.

“Every team that I have been on, we used all of our running backs at different points because it’s just such a violent position,” Canales said. “We look for those players who can handle that. But we are going to run the ball. It’s going to be a non-negotiable for us. This gives us a real chance to add another good runner to the mix.”

Edge rusher was considered a need for Carolina entering the draft even after addressing that in free agency, but the team didn’t draft one.

“We identified some holes coming into the draft, coming into free agency,” Morgan said. “Listen, you can’t fill every single hole all at once, whether free agency, the draft, you wish you could. But we’re still building this thing.”

It flew mostly under the radar because of the NFL draft, but the Panthers quietly announced they picked up the fifth-year option on cornerback Jaycee Horn’s contract. The first-round pick in 2021 has been good when he’s played, but has been limited to just 22 of a possible 51 games because of injuries.