2016 NFL Draft Watch: Part Two

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We’ve looked at draft prospects before and we’re going to be looking at them again.  The Detroit Lions have plenty of needs coming into the 2015 season and they’re likely to have many of those same needs once it has concluded.  As before, I haven’t concluded my scouting of these players, as obviously the 2015 season has yet to begin, but I will go into as much detail on them as I can based on their 2014 tape.

Laquon Treadwell, Wide Receiver, Ole Miss
6’2″, 229 lbs.

There are only a few players from the upcoming draft classes that I am already sure of as first round prospects.  Laquan Treadwell is one of those.  He has his issues, which I’ll go into first since the list is short.  First off, his effort as a run blocker is dreadful, and it carries over into receiving plays where he is not the primary target.  Secondly, and more importantly, he has some injury concerns as he is recovering from a broken leg and dislocated ankle.

End of list.

Laquon Treadwell has the size and speed you covet from a top receiver.  He also has the ability to alter his speed, gearing up to gain separation on deeper routes or gearing down to adjust to the ball  in the air.  The latter of those two being his most deadly as he collects comeback routes nearly as well as

did at TAMU.  On back shoulder throws, Treadwell shows the ability to stop nearly instantly, completely throwing his defender off and coming back to the ball in a way that takes years to teach at the professional level.  While watching him on tape, I wrote that Laquon Treadwell catches the back shoulder better than

.  Better than.  This is a guy that the Lions could

clearly benefit

from drafting, but barring a 2015 collapse it is unlikely they will be in position to snag him as he’ll be gone long before the top 10 has concluded.

Next: Ezekiel Elliot, Ohio State