Laquon Treadwell

Early life

Treadwell attended Crete-Monee High School in suburban Chicago, where he finished his three-year football career as the second-leading receiver in Illinois prep history with 3,563 yards. He played primarily as a wide receiver during his career, but he was also the team's quarterback as a freshman and also played on defense his sophomore through senior years. As a sophomore, he caught 58 passes for 811 yards and seven touchdowns. As a junior, he was named the NWI Times Offensive Player of the Year, Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-state pick when he recorded 75 catches for 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns on offense and 45 tackles (10 for loss) and eight sacks on defense. Treadwell was named the Chicago Tribune Player of the Year, NWI Times Offensive Player of the Year, and all-state first-team as a senior after leading Crete-Monee to a 14–0 record and the Class 6A state title; he hauled in 81 catches for 1,424 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 257 yards and seven more scores on the ground, while on defense he compiled 56 tackles and six interceptions. For his senior season efforts, Treadwell was named an All-American selection by Under Armour, USA Today, MaxPreps and SuperPrep. As a standout basketball guard and forward, Treadwell averaged 13.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game for the Warriors.

Following his senior season, Treadwell played in the 2013 Under Armour All-America Game, where he was covered by the nation's No.1 cornerback and Florida recruit Vernon Hargreaves III, according to the Orlando Sentinel. He finished the game with six catches for 46 yards.

Regarded as Illinois’ top football recruit in 2013, Treadwell was rated a 5-star recruit by Rivals.com, Scout.com, 247Sports.com and MaxPreps and the nation's No. 1 wide receiver by Tom Lemming, Rivals.com, and ESPN.com. He was listed as the No. 5 overall recruit in the nation by Rivals.com, No. 6 by MaxPreps, No. 19 by ESPN.com, No. 28 by 247Sports.com, and No. 30 by Scout.com. Checking in at 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), 195 pounds (88 kg), Treadwell ran a reported 4.40 in the 40-yard dash according to 247Sports. He was also the No. 1 ranked wide receiver in the 2013 class at the 247Sports Composite Rankings. Treadwell committed to the University of Mississippi on November 30, 2012. Treadwell's former high school teammate and close friend, Anthony Standifer, who is a defensive back at Ole Miss, was the one that initially got Treadwell interested in the Rebels.

College career

A member of the highly ranked 2013 University of Mississippi signing class, Treadwell played three seasons for the Rebels. He finished his career as the all-time leading pass catcher in Ole Miss history with 202 career receptions (seventh-most in Southeastern Conference (SEC) history) and ranks third in receiving yards with 2,393 and touchdowns with 21, as well as tied for second with nine career 100-yard receiving games. Treadwell managed at least one catch in all 35 games in which he played for the Rebels.

Freshman season (2013)

Treadwell exploded onto the college scene with a record-breaking rookie season, establishing Ole Miss' freshman records with 72 receptions for 608 receiving yards and five touchdown catches. As a result of his outstanding play, he was named SEC Freshman of the Year by the league coaches, becoming the first player in school history to receive the distinction. He also established a school freshman record with nine catches in his Rebel debut at Vanderbilt and matched that total again in the regular-season finale at Mississippi State. He played in every game of the season and made 12 starts as a slot receiver. In the season opener at Vanderbilt on August 29, Treadwell earned his first start in his college debut and made the most of it, breaking an Ole Miss freshman record with nine catches for 82 yards and hauling in a two-point conversion; he was named SEC Freshman of the Week for his performance. In Week 4 at #1 Alabama, he had four catches for 51 yards, one rush for 1 yard and threw his lone career interception. Against #9 Texas A&M on October 12, Treadwell caught a team-high eight passes for 77 yards while scoring his first two collegiate touchdowns. In the Rebels' 34–24 victory over Arkansas, he contributed with a game-high eight catches for 39 yards and a touchdown. The next week against Troy, he collected four catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns, including a highlight-reel catch-and-run in which he broke five tackles on his way to the end zone. In the final game of the season at Mississippi State on November 28, Treadwell tied his own Ole Miss freshman record with nine catches for 57 yards. During the game, he also completed a 19-yard pass to quarterback Bo Wallace on a trick play and forced and recovered a fumble to regain possession after a Wallace interception.

Sophomore season (2014)

On November 1, 2014, with 1:30 left in the game against #3 Auburn, Treadwell caught a screen pass and took it to the Tigers' 1 yard line before being tackled from behind and bending awkwardly. As a result of the gruesome injury, Treadwell broke his tibia and dislocated his ankle, and adding insult to the injury, he fumbled the ball, which was recovered in the end zone by Auburn's linebacker Cassanova McKinzy, sealing the game for the Tigers.

Junior season (2015)

On January 4, 2016, Treadwell announced he would forego his final year of eligibility at Ole Miss to enter the 2016 NFL draft. Treadwell stated: "After sitting down with my family, we have decided it is time for me to take the next step in my career and enter the NFL draft; it's always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL, and I can't thank my teammates, coaches and our great fans enough for their unbelievable support since the first day I stepped foot on campus. No matter how far life may take us, I will always be an Ole Miss Rebel. God bless."