Hunter Renfrow Joins Carolina Panthers, Forms Early Connection With Gamecock Rookie

“He’s a really good dude,” Legette told Kay Adams during a recent interview. “We’ve already started building that chemistry, just talking in the locker room, finding we’ve got a lot in common. We grew up not far from each other, so it’s been easy to relate.”

The relationship may seem unlikely on paper—one a national championship hero in orange, the other a Gamecock star turned first-round NFL talent—but it’s emblematic of the fresh start both players are embracing in Charlotte.

Renfrow, a 2021 Pro Bowler with the Raiders, brings more than just a résumé of 2,884 career receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. He brings experience, leadership, and a quiet confidence that could be pivotal for a youthful Panthers receiving unit still trying to find its footing.

The Panthers are counting on Renfrow to help bridge that gap.

“Hunter’s been through it all,” one team staffer said. “He knows how to read defenses, how to prepare, how to be a pro. That’s invaluable for a guy like Xavier who’s just starting his journey.”

Legette, known for his physicality and big-play ability at South Carolina, now has a front-row seat to learn from one of the NFL’s most cerebral route runners. And while their college loyalties will always be a part of their story, in the NFL, it’s about shared goals, not split allegiances.

Renfrow is expected to play a significant role in the slot, giving quarterback Bryce Young a savvy, reliable target while helping mold the next wave of Panthers pass-catchers—including Legette.

If early chemistry is any indication, the veteran from Clemson and the rookie from Columbia could be a quietly dynamic tandem—off the field as much as on it.

Because in the NFL, the only rivalry that matters is the one on the scoreboard.