RS12
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The Top Five
Michael Thomas, Ohio State
At the beginning of the pre-draft process, I highly doubted any receiver would bypass Laquon Treadwell on my board as the top pass catcher in the 2016 class. Yet here we are, with he and Michael Thomas neck-and-neck. The former Buckeye is an excellent route runner, showing the ability to separate with footwork and technique at all levels of the field. A lot of people talk about how Thomas doesn’t have many contested catch opportunities to judge his abilities in the air, but when he is given a catchable ball to highpoint, the junior’s abilities are clear. His touchdown catch from Evan Spencer against Alabama in the College Football Playoff last year was a picture perfect example of exceptional body control, leaping ability, and concentration despite contact.
There really isn’t anything I dislike about Thomas as a wide receiver, and while he may not be an elite athlete, he’s certainly a very good one. Like Treadwell, Thomas is also dynamic after the catch, but shows more explosiveness than his SEC counterpart. I don’t have a perfect comp for Thomas, but he does remind me of a more explosive Michael Floyd in some ways. People will still knock him because he didn’t put up incredible production at OSU, but Thomas has all the physical and athletic ability to become the best wide receiver in the 2016 class.
Laquon Treadwell, Mississippi
I get it, he’s not a burner, and he’s a good, not great athlete. But that doesn’t mean we should disvalue how Treadwell wins on tape, as his playing style translates easily to the NFL. The Ole Miss product beats up press coverage, wins in the air, and knows how to use his frame to box out corners and dominate contested catch situations. Treadwell adjusts to balls that most receivers can’t reel in, and has a great natural feel for how to track the football all over the field.
He’s also an alpha-male who will knock the living daylights out of any defender he can as a blocker or a ballcarrier, refusing to go down without an epic fight after the catch. Treadwell isn’t Corey Coleman in space, but he is much quicker than he’s given credit for, and can become an exceptional route runner with a little more attention to detail. Treadwell is pretty similar to Brandon Marshall in my evaluation of his game, but the way he wins will look like Alshon Jeffrey’s style on the football field. I’m not saying he’s perfect, but Treadwell can become a very good starter in the NFL.
Josh Doctson, TCU
I worry about Doctson against press coverage and separating from sticky corners in his route breaks, but if you want to talk about a receiver that can play above the rim better than anyone in this class, Doctson is that guy. He is simply indefensible in the air, high pointing the football with jaw-dropping hang time and body contortions to snag anything in his vicinity. While Doctson certainly has some Brandon Lloyd to his game, he’s also much more than that, flashing so
http://draftwire.usatoday.com/2016/04/01/finding-your-flavor-examining-the-2016-wide-receiver-class/
Michael Thomas, Ohio State
There really isn’t anything I dislike about Thomas as a wide receiver, and while he may not be an elite athlete, he’s certainly a very good one. Like Treadwell, Thomas is also dynamic after the catch, but shows more explosiveness than his SEC counterpart. I don’t have a perfect comp for Thomas, but he does remind me of a more explosive Michael Floyd in some ways. People will still knock him because he didn’t put up incredible production at OSU, but Thomas has all the physical and athletic ability to become the best wide receiver in the 2016 class.
Laquon Treadwell, Mississippi
He’s also an alpha-male who will knock the living daylights out of any defender he can as a blocker or a ballcarrier, refusing to go down without an epic fight after the catch. Treadwell isn’t Corey Coleman in space, but he is much quicker than he’s given credit for, and can become an exceptional route runner with a little more attention to detail. Treadwell is pretty similar to Brandon Marshall in my evaluation of his game, but the way he wins will look like Alshon Jeffrey’s style on the football field. I’m not saying he’s perfect, but Treadwell can become a very good starter in the NFL.
Josh Doctson, TCU
http://draftwire.usatoday.com/2016/04/01/finding-your-flavor-examining-the-2016-wide-receiver-class/
