Minnesota Vikings select Jordan Addison in first round of 2023 NFL Draft

Jordan Addison made an immense impact throughout his college career, and now he’ll look to become the next phenomenal rookie wide receiver, as he was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Addison began his collegiate career at Pittsburgh, where he elevated his game from a pass-catcher with tremendous potential, to one of the top wide receivers in all of the country. He captured the Biletnikoff Award in his final season with the Panthers, where he caught 100 passes for 1,593 receiving yards and 17 receiving touchdowns.

Afterwards, almost every school in the country was in search of his services, with NIL deals to spare, but the USC Trojans won out. While it took him a bit to adjust to Lincoln Riley’s offense, Addison still put up impressive numbers during his lone season in Los Angeles, amassing 59 receptions for 875 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns in 2022.

Coming out of high school, Addison was a four-star recruit who was the No. 234 overall player in the nation, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

As you can see, it’s easy to know why Minnesota decided on Jordan Addison as a huge part of their future plans. The former Pittsburgh and USC star will be hoping to elevate his game at the NFL level, and there isn’t any reason to bet against him doing so.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Jordan Addison

Ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, analyst Lance Zierlein examined what Jordan Addison will bring to whichever NFL team selected him. He thinks his production will be more like the Addison we saw at Pittsburgh than USC.

“Inside/outside wideout with the speed and agility to work confidently on all three levels of the field, but lacking the size and catch strength generally associated with high-impact performers on the next level,” wrote Zierlein. “Addison’s route running features acceleration, dynamic steering and sudden turns at a moment’s notice. While he can get to the spot effectively, he has trouble consistently winning battles when he has coverage company beside him.

“While Addison failed to make the same impact he did in 2021, his usage at Pitt might be a better indicator of the type of role and production he could be capable of on the next level.”