With the 24th pick, the Cincinnati Bengals select…

This could go one of a few ways, but I tend to agree with the masses, wide receiver. Not just any wide receiver though, the Bengals are picking behind a couple of teams who also need wide receivers. This decision may have just gotten a little easier though.

Enter a couple of variables, and a couple of teams liking what they saw late in the selection process, and into the Bengals lap falls Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss. Many mock drafts have Treadwell as their first wide receiver off the board, so how is this possible?

Live Feed

Raising Zona

Well, consider it timing and a little bit of luck. Treadwell had his pro day on March 28^th, three days before Will Fuller of Notre Dame and Josh Doctson of TCU. Treadwell also ran a 4.65/40, which puts him more in the category of an Anquan Boldin type at 4.71. Many teams needing a top wide receiver will lean more towards the speedy Fuller 4.32 at the combine, or Doctson 4.43 respectfully.

Timing is there, but what about luck? We all remember Treadwell’s gruesome leg injury vs Auburn his sophomore season, and some NFL teams will not want to take a risk on a guy who has recovered from such an injury.

Treadwell could easily be the best receiver in this year’s draft. A big body, between 6’2” and 6’3” and weighing in at 221lbs, Treadwell instantly becomes another large bodied receiver for the Bengals. With weapons already in place like Tyler Eifert, and of course AJ Green, Treadwell would not face the pressures of being a number one receiver.

More from Cincinnati Bengals Draft

• 5 recent Bengals draft picks who could be cut in summer of 2022
• Revisiting the Bengals’ only supplemental draft pick
• 5 prospects linked to the Bengals in way-too-early mock drafts
• Bengals predicted to select a wide receiver in 2023 mock draft
• Cincinnati Bengals’ 2022 draft considered one of the worst

Laquon Treadwell exploded onto the scene in 2015, catching 82 passes for 1153 yards and 11 touchdowns, a mere 14.1 yards per catch. Now, imagine that kind of talent on the line with the likes of AJ Green, Tyler Eifert, Giovani Bernard in the backfield, and maybe Tyler Kroft. The Bengals just might be unstoppable on offense.

With the injury, timing, and Treadwell’s under impressive 40 yard dash time, the Cincinnati Bengals might be able to nab a top wide receiver at 24 in Laquon Treadwell, simply because the Bengals scout their players by breaking down film and Treadwell is an absolute film star.