Vikings Top Pick Treadwell Aims To Be Big-Play Receiver
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Vikings used their first round pick on Laquon Treadwell this spring to address a glaring need --- they needed a big wide receiver who can make big plays.
He's not a big part of their offense yet. But it's certainly not for lack of effort.
"Just have to stay to it," he said. "Continue to work."
Treadwell isn't much for words.
But it doesn't seem like shyness or arrogance as much as it seems like a rookie who wants to do what rookies are supposed to do – keep his mouth shut and go to work.
He's doing the second thing even better than the first.
"Just go out and play, man," Treadwell said. "That's all I'm worried about right now."
Treadwell is always the last to leave practice, sometimes staying as long as 45 minutes late to catch extra balls on the JUGS machine. Clearly, nobody is going to question his work ethic.
"Just been doing it all my life," Treadwell said. "Well, not all my life, but since I've been in college. And I'll just keep it going, keep working on my hands, keep working on seeing the ball in."
When you use a first round pick on a receiver, you're expecting him to be a star. So far, Treadwell is still working mostly with the backups, but looked good in his first pro game in Cincinnati -- catching a game-high four passes for 41 yards from backup quarterback Shaun Hill and third-teamer Joel Stave.
"It was fun, it was fun, it was exciting," Treadwell said. "Everything you can ever imagine, coming in."
He says his chemistry with Teddy Bridgewater is coming along nicely too, and believes a more prominent role is coming as he proves himself to the coaches.
"To myself," he interjected. "To myself, first. And then if I prove it to myself, then the coaches will be able to see it and have more confidence in me and (give me more) playing time.
"I just think I'm getting more comfortable, overall, just playing at this level, and recognizing coverages and getting better at my craft."
And clearly, he's got no issue putting in the work to get better.
