7 draft prospects the Vikings probably regret passing on

2016 First Round

Original Pick: Laquon Treadwell – WR (Ole Miss)

Treadwell was considered by many scouts to be the best wide receiver in the 2016 Draft. He was extremely productive coming out of Ole Miss with over 2,000 receiving yards, 200 receptions, and 20 touchdowns in his career as a Rebel.

The Vikings thought they’d be getting a sure thing at pick No. 23 when he was still on the board. That just hasn’t happened.

Treadwell arrived at an odd time, as his rookie season was right around when both Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs began emerging. Treadwell couldn’t climb Minnesota’s depth chart and he didn’t see the field much.

Things haven’t gotten much better for No. 11 as his inconsistent hands and lack of production have many believing he won’t’ be with the Vikings much longer. If Treadwell does get cut or traded in the coming months, he’ll be considered one of the bigger draft busts by Minnesota in recent memory.

Could’ve Had: Michael Thomas – WR (Ohio State)

This has got to be the one draft miss that keeps Rick Spielman up at night. He really screwed the pooch on this one. He took Laquon Treadwell when he could’ve had Michael Thomas.

Obviously, Thomas benefits from having a future Hall of Fame quarterback throwing him the ball in Drew Brees, but that’s just a small part of it.

Thomas is a physical wideout with reliable and strong hands. He’s been super productive for the New Orleans Saints and his stats compared to Treadwell’s are embarrassing.  Thomas has had basically 10 times the production of Treadwell since 2016, which is absolutely crazy.

A receiving corps of Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and Michael Thomas would be impossible for opposing defenses to stop. The Vikings thought they were getting a physical guy who could catch the ball in traffic with Treadwell, but the guy that they truly needed and could have had was Michael Thomas.