Ole Miss standout WR Laquon Treadwell declares for NFL Draft

Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell announced Monday that he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2016 NFL Draft.

The junior wideout caught 82 passes for 1,153 yards and 11 touchdowns this season while emerging as one of the top wide receivers in the country after missing the end of the 2014 season because of a broken leg and dislocated ankle. He will now attempt to reach his goal of playing in the NFL.

“After sitting down with my family, we have decided it is time for me to take the next step in my career and enter the 2016 NFL draft,” Treadwell said in a statement. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL, and I can’t thank my teammates, coaches and our great fans enough for their unbelievable support since the first day I stepped foot on campus. No matter how far life may take us, I will always be an Ole Miss Rebel. God bless.”

Treadwell’s incredible 2015 season put him among the best receivers in school history. He broke records for most receptions, yards and touchdowns in a season in 2015 and also holds the record for most career receptions (202).

Coach Hugh Freeze thanked the Crete, Ill., native for his prolific contributions to the program.

“It was an honor to have coached Laquon, and our family will miss him greatly,” Freeze said in a statement. “The commitment that he and others in his class made to our program three years ago has changed the culture of Ole Miss. I’m so proud of what he accomplished here, and I look forward to seeing him continue to grow and shine as a player and a person.”

Treadwell will likely be drafted in the first round and could be the first receiver off the board in May. He is ranked as the top receiver in the 2016 class by CBSSports.com and was rated as the 10th-best prospect in the entire class.