2016 NFL Draft: Early look at Ole Miss’s Laquon Treadwell
By Jon Dove
Ole Miss’s Laquon Treadwell is one of the more highly-touted wide receiver prospects eligible for the 2016 NFL Draft. He has earned that attention thanks to his production against the tough SEC competition. All eyes will be on Treadwell early in the year as he works his way back from a gruesome leg injury.
Treadwell is a natural pass catcher who always attacks the ball at its highest point. He does a good job of timing his jumps and isn’t afraid of contact. His physical play, size and strong hands help him excel in contested catch situations. The image below shows how Treadwell plucks the ball away from his frame.
via draftbreakdown.com
As a route runner, Treadwell is able to clean break off his momentum and work back towards the quarterback. He knows how to use his body to box out the defender and provide a solid target. However, his ability to consistently generate separate is a concern.
Treadwell doesn’t show great explosion off the ball and struggles to outpace defenders. The majority of his catches come with a defensive back in close proximity. He needs to really work on his overall route running and deception in order to provide more space.
His issues quickly getting off the line of scrimmage also allows the defensive back to hold him up at the line. The below image shows a defender keeping Treadwell from working into his route thus disrupting the timing of the play:
via draftbreakdown.com
This is a complete player as Treadwell appears to love to block. He shows a nasty streak where he routinely tries to drive defenders several yards off the ball. His effort as a blocker helps the runner break off long runs and it’s not rare to see Treadwell delivering a key block 20+ yards down field. The image below is an example of his effort at a blocker:
via draftbreakdown.com
In the screen game, Treadwell isn’t afraid to lay a block but is also effective with the ball in his hands. He isn’t the quickest player on the field but shows shiftiness and the strength to break tackles. His after the catch ability reminds me a lot of Alshon Jeffery.
Treadwell is a first-round talent with some areas that need improvement. His draft stock benefits from the fact NFL teams are putting more emphasis size. However, he needs to show some more explosiveness and big-play ability to move into the upper part of the first round.