With the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected USC wide receiver Jordan Addison. This pick was immediately praised by Vikings fans and draft analysts alike, as Addison gives the Vikings a quality second option alongside All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson and was one of the more refined receivers of the class.
Today, I will be giving my grade and personal opinion of this selection.
What Addison Brings To Minnesota
Addison is a former Fred Biletnikoff Award winner who was seen by many as the most pro-ready receiver of the draft. Back in March, I wrote about some of Addison’s best qualities, which included his elite separation and anticipation of defensive coverages. His route tree is superb, which will allow him to win a lot of coverage battles with opposing defensive backs. Having played at Pitt and USC with two different quarterbacks in different offensive schemes, Addison is a receiver who can produce in any offense no matter the circumstances or the scheme fit.
Addison is a touchdown magnet, having produced 29 touchdowns in 35 career college games. He can also play both outside and in the slot, which is a key trait for today’s receivers. As described in my earlier article, his catch radius is impeccable and was described as a “quarterback’s dream.”
Playing Style
Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 175 pounds, Addison seems to be your prototypical speedy, deep threat receiver who is exceptional with YAC (aka yards after catch). However, only part of that statement is true. While he can go deep, Addison has experienced his share of struggles with speed and YAC, as evidenced by his 4.5 40-yard dash, and has also dealt with drop issues despite his excellent catch radius.
If you had to give Addison a playing style, it would probably be best to label him as a possession receiver. He can do everything a receiver can do, but the lack of speed and YAC would lead me to label him as more of a red zone threat than a speedy Deebo Samuel/Jaylen Waddle-type of guy.
Final Grade
I would give this pick an A-minus grade. I think Addison has a great chance to be the perfect Robin to Jefferson’s Batman in terms of wide receivers. With the presence of Jefferson and tight end T.J. Hockenson, Addison will likely see a lot one-on-one battles against opposing cornerbacks as teams turn their attention more towards the Vikings’ established stars. Going to an offense like the one head coach Kevin O’Connell runs is a perfect scenario for a player such as Addison.
Do you remember when the Atlanta Falcons drafted Calvin Ridley in 2018 to pair with Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu? I see a lot of that in the Addison pick. Ridley, who is actually my pro comp for Addison, was a very productive receiver for the Falcons during Julio’s last years with the team and even emerged as their alpha dog receiver, before mental health issues and the gambling suspension affected his career. I like the Addison selection a lot, and I think the Vikings hit a possible home run here.
