Former Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell pens cover letter to NFL via Players Tribune
Laquon Treadwell is expected to be one of the first wide receivers taken off the board in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft, but has been working hard to make his case as the best available pass-catcher in his class.
The former Ole Miss star put pen to paper and wrote for The Players’ Tribune, essentially publishing a cover letter-like column directed toward prospective NFL organizations that are considering taking him in the early goings of the draft.
Treadwell details the process of how he fell in love with the game of football, how he overcame the gruesome leg injury that derailed his sophomore season, and why whoever drafts him will be pleased with the result.
Here’s an excerpt from his article:
“Let me leave you with this thought: On draft night, when you’re looking for a playmaker, you’ll have to ask yourself: Do you want a guy who can read defenses to get open? That’s me. Do you want a guy who can move the chains? That’s me. Do you want a guy who will battle for every jump ball and every touchdown? That’s me.”
In three seasons with Ole Miss, Treadwell compiled 202 receptions for 2,393 yards and 21 touchdowns, including career-high numbers (82/1,153/11) during his junior year in 2015.
According to Bleacher Report NFL lead writer Matt Miller, Treadwell is the fourth-best wide receiver prospect in the draft, but cites his past injury and lack of game-breaking speed as a potential red flag.
“Watching Treadwell before the injury in 2014 and after it in 2015, you see a different player,” Miller wrote earlier this month. “He was never super fast, but his quickness and ankle flexibility were greatly diminished this season. …Part of Treadwell’s issues gaining separation are due to the ankle injury and a lack of speed, but he was never able to throttle up and down to vary his speed and win with breaking routes.”
Still, his size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) and ability to beat the defender in one-on-one matchups when the ball is in the air makes Treadwell an appealing prospect with Day 1 potential.
“When the ball is in the air, Treadwell tracks it well over either shoulder,” wrote Miller. “He can adjust his body to make basket catches and will also contort to turn back and leap over cornerbacks to pluck the ball off their backs. He’s like a power forward fighting for a rebound when the ball goes up.
“In the red zone, Treadwell can be a nightmare for defenders. He’s tall, long (33 ⅜-inch arms) and physical. A quarterback who can even get it close will love Treadwell’s ability to score touchdowns.”
WalterFootball.com projects Treadwell to be taken No. 23 overall to the Minnesota Vikings.