Rookie wide receiver Laquon Treadwell putting in hard work to ensure he succeeds in the NFL, and the Minnesota Vikings and fans are seeing his devotion.
Being a rookie in today’s NFL is a huge challenge. Going from the college level to the professional stage can be overwhelming for many athletes, as the level of competition increases, players are put under microscopes, and unrealistic expectations can be placed upon them.
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One player working hard to ensure that he won’t be overwhelmed is rookie wide receiver Laquon Treadwell. Many times, the young pass catcher is one of the first to arrive at practice and one of the last to leave.
According to Vikings.com, Treadwell can often be found near the JUGS machine if he’s not on the field with his team. Constantly honing his craft, the wide receiver is continually working on his catches and can lose track of time while doing so.
"“I don’t even pay attention to it,” said Treadwell. “I look up, and everybody is gone.”"
Minnesota Vikings wide receivers coach George Stewart knows that players don’t get as much practice as they would like during walk-through or practice, but is surprised by the amount of extra time Treadwell is putting in.
"“All of our guys … you don’t get a chance to catch as many (passes) in practice as you’d like to,” Stewart said. “Laquon is a worker, and that’s one thing that’s impressed us about him. Even when he was at Ole Miss, our scouts would come back and tell us about his work ethic.”"
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The Vikings have definitely taken notice of the efforts the team’s first round draft pick is putting in. However, there have also been times the coaching staff had to approach Treadwell to tell him to take it easy for a bit.
Despite that, Treadwell’s attitude is exactly what the Minnesota Vikings need at wide receiver, and Stewart has no problem saying that hard work breeds success.
"“We want guys that are workers,” he added. “Coach Zimmer, along with (Vikings General Manager) Rick Spielman, they’ve identified those guys that give us a chance to be successful.”"
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Treadwell will be competing for a starting wide receiver job this year. Despite the re-emergence of Charles Johnson and the explosive nature of Stefon Diggs, fans of the Minnesota Vikings shouldn’t feel too out of place putting high expectations on Laquon Treadwell knowing just how hungry he is to succeed.