The San Francisco 49ers met with Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell on Sunday, according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee. Treadwell is one of the top receivers in the NFL Draft and San Francisco had national scout Justin Chabot and offensive line coach Pat Flaherty available during Ole Miss' pro day on Monday in addition to their meeting with Treadwell.
There are other interesting players at Ole Miss, obviously, including tackle Laremy Tunsil. He could wind up being the top pick in the NFL Draft, while there is some debate as to where Treadwell might go. This is considered a relatively weak class at the wide receiver position, but that's in comparison to the excellent classes we've had in recent years.
The top receivers are still worth getting, there just isn't as much depth or can't-miss talent as there has been in recent years.
Treadwell is considered the top receiver by some, but there are concerns about his speed. He top-line speed has been questioned plenty and with all eyes on his 40-yard dash at his Pro Day on Monday, Treadwell underwhelmed. He's an impressive athlete and a specimen in general, but his 40 time was a paltry 4.63 seconds.
"I didn't run what I wanted to run," Treadwell said, via the NFL Network. "But I'm proud of myself for what I did run. I gave it my all."
That should never, ever be the be-all, end-all factor when picking a player. The 40-yard dash should only be used to debunk or reinforce opinions, not to create an entire perspective from. Treadwell had 11 touchdowns and 1,153 receiving yards for the Rebels last season.
The 49ers have a need at receiver. Torrey Smith is locked up for the foreseeable future, but Anquan Boldin is still a free agent while Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington haven't shown much in limited time. There are other guys who have yet to see the field who could be a factor, but nobody can deny the 49ers need a game-changing receiver.
Whether or not you think Treadwell can be that kind of player is entirely a different question.