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New Orleans Saints 2016 NFL Draft Profile: Laquon Treadwell

By John Sigler

Jan 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (1) celebrates his ten-yard touchdown catch against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second quarter of the 2016 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (1) celebrates his ten-yard touchdown catch against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second quarter of the 2016 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Laquon Treadwell is a tempting option for the New Orleans Saints in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft, especially if the team is targeting a wide receiver.

We continue our New Orleans Saints draft profile coverage with Ole Miss’ Laquon Treadwell, the SEC’s standout wide receiver who possess the tools it takes to be a star in NFL.

Measurables:
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 221 LBS
Arm length: 33 3/8 inches
Hands: 9 1/2 inches

Combine Results:
Bench press (225 LBS): 12 reps
Vertical: 33 inches
Broad jump: 117 inches

Analysis:
Any fan of the SEC can tell you about Laquon Treadwell.  Whether it’s his physicality, strength of character, or rebound from a devastating 2014 lower leg injury, almost everyone has something to praise Treadwell for.  And for good reason; the heralded former high school recruit is the real deal, even if he didn’t tack on the gaudy numbers you’d expect during his college career.

Thanks to spotty quarterback play that maxed out with streaky-at-best performances from Chad Kelly in 2015, Treadwell was rarely put in the best position to succeed.  Ole Miss’ offense didn’t call for him to be regularly targeted, especially compared to other rookie receiving prospects.

Because Treadwell was far and away the best wideout on the team, he was put in the role of a possession receiver who was mostly responsible for making tough contested catches on third down.  That shoehorning didn’t do him many favors and hurt his production in the long run.

For what it’s worth, Laquon Treadwell seems to be nearly-fully recovered from breaking his fibula and dislocating his ankle late in 2014.  The injury, surgery, and rehabilitation process robbed him of 25 pounds of muscle weight, speed, and lower body dexterity that he has worked hard to regain.

That seriously stunted Treadwell’s growth as a player (as did Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze’s staff struggling to maximize his potential, a common theme among other top recruits Robert Ndemkiche and Laremy Tunsil).  It’s plain to see that Treadwell’s best football is ahead of him.

Watch Laquon Treadwell help lead Ole Miss to a big win over Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl:

How he fits with the New Orleans Saints:
Laquon Treadwell is the perfect complement to incumbent top receiver Brandin Cooks.  The speedster has shown an abundance of talent to get open deep downfield, reel in short-distance touch passes, and generally burn most cornerbacks put in his way.  But Cooks can’t do it alone.

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Willie Snead was a welcome surprise last year and he sniffed a 1,000-yard sophomore season after bouncing from the Cleveland Browns to the Carolina Panthers in 2014, but he would be a tremendous asset as the third receiver rather than second on the depth chart.  For example, that would be the difference between Snead being covered by someone like Desmond Trufant as a top-two receiving option and facing instead a better matchup in Jalen Mills.

So Treadwell would immediately step into that second receiver spot if drafted by New Orleans.  He brings a unique skillset and size combination with the athletic upside (as seen in his shuttle and three-cone times) to be a better pro than college player.  Few receivers relish physical contact like Treadwell does, as seen by the way he trucks through tacklers, throws soul-stealing blocks, and wins on contested catches (only TCU’s Josh Doctson had a better success rate on 50/50 balls in 2015).

With Brandin Cooks drawing top corners on the right side, Coby Fleener keeping defenses honest by streaking downfield, and Willie Snead working over nickel corners and safeties from the slot, Treadwell would have sorts of opportunities that he never saw in Oxford.  With Drew Brees targeting him and Sean Payton’s offense getting the ball in his hands in a variety of ways, Laquon Treadwell would be a star in New Orleans fit to take up Marques Colston’s torch.

Did you like this article?  What are some things you want to see that I didn’t talk about?  What kinds of Saints-related content do you want to see from me in the future?  Drop me a line on Twitter for updates and notes about all things New Orleans Saints football.

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