Minnesota Vikings: Laquon Treadwell the perfect match
By John Laird
The Minnesota Vikings are a good football team with a desperate need at wide receiver. Stefon Diggs showed some promise, but pairing him with Laquon Treadwell can truly help Teddy Bridgewater turn into an elite franchise quarterback.
I do find it hard to believe Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell will be on the board when the Vikings select at pick 23 in the upcoming draft, but crazier things have happened. The Minnesota Vikings are in desperate for wide receiver help and Treadwell can be the solution.
Teddy Bridgewater loves to show off his accuracy compared to his arm strength. His tape shows he does sometimes get scared to really let the ball rip, and drafting Treadwell can help that. Treadwell has the best hands in this draft. You’ll rarely see him drop a pass and that’s one thing that’ll obviously make a quarterback more comfortable.
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But, Treadwell brings more then just sure hands. He does extremely well at tracking the ball down the field and winning those 50-50 balls bigger receivers have to make. Although only list at 6’2″, Treadwell plays like he’s 6’5″. He has good body control and times his jumps near perfect almost every time. Catching those tough, deep 50-50 balls comes naturally to Laquon Treadwell, something that would allow Bridgewater to just play more relaxed.
His best comparison is Anquan Boldin. Boldin has lasted in this league by bailing quarterbacks out with his strong hands and ability to take the ball away from a defender. Don’t believe me? Check out the highlight tape during the Baltimore Ravens’ Super Bowl run a few years back. Boldin bailed Joe Flacco out time and time again.
Both Treadwell and Boldin are both hardnosed football players who make up their lack of down the field speed with body placement, and a great pair of hands.
Both are the kind of player who will consistently bail the quarterback out and get extra yards after the catch due to their physicality they both play with. Treadwell does posses a nasty stiff arm, something he loved to go to on his tape.
What kind of offenses do both Treadwell and Boldin flourish in? A hard nose, run style offense. Who do the Vikings have at running back? Oh yeah, Adrian Peterson.
Treadwell and Diggs can really help the growth of Teddy Bridgewater just by what they bring to the table. Diggs being the smaller, quicker option, Bridgewater can look at him in the shallow crossing routes or a straight go route.
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Then, with Treadwell you get the bigger, physical player who can rip the ball away from a defender at any given point on the field. Teddy Bridgewater is no Tom Brady, but getting your franchise quarterback as many weapons as possible can give him the confidence of one, taking his play to a higher level.