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The San Francisco 49ers just may turn to a former first round draft pick to bolster their wide receiving corps.
Per NFL Network insider Tom Peliserro on the morning of Thursday, April 13, the 49ers are receiving a visit from Laquon Treadwell — the former No. 23 overall pick of the 2016 draft.
49ers Once Passed on Treadwell
In tracing back to the ’16 draft class, the 49ers had an opportunity to select a 6-foot-2, 221-pound target from Ole Miss who was once compared to De’Andre Hopkins by nfl.com draft expert Lance Zierlein.
“Like DeAndre Hopkins, both players should be defined by their talent, ball skills and consistency of production over pure speed numbers,” Zierlein wrote as his first sentence in his overview of Treadwell.
Instead, the 49ers made the decision to draft a prospect with an “impressive NFL ready physique” and who eventually became a cornerstone to their 2019 NFC champion defense in DeForest Buckner, who emerged as a Pro Bowler and captain.
Since that time for the wide receiver, though, Treadwell has had trouble staying on the field for a full regular season due to injuries. Per Pro Football Reference, Treadwell has never started in more than seven games each season. And that includes the four seasons he was with the team that selected him the Minnesota Vikings.
Treadwell’s rookie campaign only saw one start in nine games of action as he dealt with an ankle ailment. He managed to start in seven games the following two seasons. He went on to combine for 55 receptions for 502 yards and scored one touchdown. He only had one start in his final campaign with the Vikes and caught just nine passes for 184 yards for a touchdown.
Treadwell has since bounced around the last three seasons — making stops in Atlanta, Jacksonville and last season Seattle. His best production out of three three came with the Jaguars, as he caught 33 passes for a career-high 434 yards and scored once..
Now, Treadwell is searching for his fifth NFL home at age 27. He has 110 catches for 1,226 yards and five touchdowns in his career.
Cornerback & 2021 All-American Also Visited 49ers
Treadwell wasn’t the only known visitor around the 49ers.
Per Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network on Thursday, the franchise also met with Appalachian State cornerback Steven Jones Jr. The Mountaineer also met with four different NFL franchises during his Pro Day, but his most recent conversation was with 49ers officials.
Jones is best known for his recent work during the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl — which saw him snatch two interceptions during practices and then swatted two passes during the game. He ended his collegiate campaign in 2022 by tying the Sun Belt Conference lead with 15 passes defensed. Though Jones didn’t have a single interception last season, he snatched five interceptions in 2021 which led to first team All-American honors by the Football Writers Association of America, Phil Steele and Pro Football Network.
Also, Rejzohn Wright of Oregon State and Mekhi Blackmon of USC were among the cornerback participants at the 49ers Pro Day on Wednesday, April 12. Both are from East Palo Alto.
Wright has begun to surface as a potential CB draft find for S.F., with PFN calling him one of two CBs the Niners are projected to take (the other Syracuse CB Garrett Williams) in their seven round mock draft.
Blackmon, meanwhile, told reporters following his pro day at USC on March 21 that playing for the Niners are his “dream team.” Blackmon also played at Colorado before transferring to USC for one season.
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