Three Thoughts on the Vikings Selecting USC WR Jordan Addison at 23
For the second time in four years, the Vikings have taken a wide receiver in the first round, selecting USC's Jordan Addison with the 23rd overall pick.
Let's go over my three biggest initial takeaways from the move.
Addison isn't the best raw athlete...but he gets open and that's more important
Addison was the fourth wide receiver off the board on Thursday night, wrapping up a run of four consecutive picks at the position. Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba went at 20 to the Seahawks, TCU's Quentin Johnston went at 21 to the Chargers, and Boston College's Zay Flowers went at 22 to the Ravens.
Why were the other three taken above Addison? The logical assumption is that athletic testing had a lot to do with it. Addison is undersized at 5'11", 171 pounds, ran a 4.49 at the combine, and none of his scores on the other drills were elite (though his short shuttle and broad jump were at least good). The total product is a 5.94 Relative Athletic Score, which is above average but nothing to write home about.
For comparison, each of Smith-Njigba, Johnston, and Flowers have an RAS between 8.29 and 8.69. That, at least to some extent, probably explains why they went ahead of Addison.
But that doesn't mean the Vikings got the fourth-best receiver in this draft class. Addison is a refined wideout who shines as a route-runner and separator. He has the quickness and acceleration to get in and out of his breaks effectively, and he understands how to use spacing and leverage to win against both man and zone coverage.
Addison racked up 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns in his sophomore season at Pitt in 2021, winning the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in college football. He then transferred to USC and remained productive with 875 yards and 8 touchdowns in 11 games, even while dealing with an ankle injury down the stretch. Addison earned the highest production score, per Next Gen Stats, among receivers in this draft class.
"I think that he is a natural wide receiver," Kirk Cousins said on the Bleacher Report draft show while reacting to the pick. "I've played with some guys throughout the years who were great athletes, they could run well, they could jump well, but playing the position of wide receiver just didn't come naturally to them. And you'll always want that natural receiver over a great athlete — not to say he isn't a great athlete. But a guy who can attack the football with great hands, adjust to ball well, run great routes, that's pretty exciting to be able to get that kind of polish right away when he shows up for OTAs."
That's the selling point on Addison. He may not be the best raw athlete, but turn on the tape and you see a guy who is constantly getting open and making plays. That's what the Vikings like about their new receiver.
Addison should benefit from Justin Jefferson's presence — and vice versa
It's hard to think of a better landing spot for Addison than Minnesota. Why? Because he'll be playing alongside the man with a strong claim as the best receiver in football, reigning AP offensive player of the year Justin Jefferson. In an offense with Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson, Addison should see plenty of single coverage. And with his ability to get open, that could be scary for opposing defenses.
Jefferson's presence will help Addison — and the reverse is true as well. With Addison replacing the aging Adam Thielen, teams will have to pay a bit more attention to the other side of the field in 2023 and beyond. Jefferson will obviously remain priority No. 1 for defensive coordinators facing the Vikings, but Addison's dynamic separation skills mean he can't be ignored.
Thielen is a Vikings legend, but his last 1,000-yard season came in 2018. Addison has a chance to be the best receiver Jefferson has played with at the NFL level, which should help him. Jefferson has seen plenty of double teams and bracket coverage as he's established himself as one of the most dominant receivers in the league.
"We targeted Justin a lot last year, and for good reason: He’s one of the elite receivers in football," Cousins said. "But this should help take some pressure off of him, along with K.J. Osborn and T.J. Hockenson. The more that we can divert coverage away from Justin, that’s only going to help Jets with his ability to wreck the game."
The Vikings had a bunch of different options
The board unfolded nicely for the Vikings, who had a wide range of options. They could've stopped the fall of Kentucky QB Will Levis, who wasn't picked in the first round. They could've taken any number of defenders, including cornerbacks Deonte Banks and Joey Porter Jr., safety Brian Branch, and pass rushers Nolan Smith and Myles Murphy. Trading back for the second straight year may have also been a consideration.
Ultimately, the Vikings decided to go with a wide receiver. And not just any receiver, but Addison, who they hosted for a pre-draft top 30 visit. Despite the struggles of their defense in 2022, the Vikings clearly believe they'll be able to add to that side of the ball later in this draft. Could the presence of Brian Flores have factored into the decision to take an offensive player?
And to be clear, wide receiver was also an obvious need after the departure of Thielen. In the modern game, WR is a premium position. Taking Addison makes the Vikings' offense more dangerous heading into an important 2023 season, and he'll be a big part of Kevin O'Connell's attack for years to come, no matter who is playing quarterback.
To that point, the Vikings choosing not to take Levis means their long-term quarterback plan is still unclear. They could still take someone like Levis or Hendon Hooker on Day 2 or a dart-throw QB on Day 3, but they also have Cousins under contract for one more season, which allows them to be patient in finding their QB of the future.
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