Laquon Treadwell selected by Vikings with No. 23 pick of 2016 NFL Draft

Laquon Treadwell, the most prolific wide receiver in the history of Ole Miss Rebel football, will be joining Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota this fall after being selected No. 23 overall by the Vikings. He is the fourth receiver taken in the 2016 Draft after Corey Coleman, Will Fuller andJosh Doctson.

Strengths

Size - Treadwell is 6'2" and 221 pounds, with 33 and 3/8 inch arms that give him an ability to play a bit taller than he is.

Physical style - Treadwell plays with a punishing style that really takes advantage of his size in matchup situations. He fights for the ball while it's in the air and uses his strength to get through defenders after he has the ball. His strength also makes him a tremendous blocker on the edge and a player who rarely found himself jammed up by opposing cornerbacks. His style is comparable to that of Houston's DeAndre Hopkins, who has a well-earned reputation of outmuscling defenders for catches in coverage.

Hands - Treadwell had some issues with drops as a senior, but was able to make up for them with circus catches like this one.

When Treadwell does find himself dropping balls, it's usually on quick routes with a defender closing in on him or when he makes his first post-catch move too quickly before securing the ball. Jump balls, fades, and go routes are not that difficult for him compared to slants and bubble screens.

Weaknesses

Speed - Treadwell ran a 4.65 at the Ole Miss pro day, a time that certainly isn't good for a receiver. If there's something that could ultimately hamper his ability to succeed in the NFL, this is it. He simply does not have the straight-line speed needed to gobble up a cushion or rip open the top of a defense. While he regularly dominated SEC corners, things will be even tougher in the NFL, making his ability to separate even more important.

Lack of experience with complex routes - Because of what Ole Miss asks its receivers to do, Treadwell doesn't have much experience with route trees. As evidenced by his full-on-and-then-some recovery from a gruesome ankle fracture that enabled a junior year as productive as any wide receiver in college football, Treadwell is a natural athlete and a tireless worker. He's a player who will stop at nothing to get better, so that shouldn't be a long-term problem, but will require a transition time into more demanding professional football.