Jordan Addison NFL Draft Overview
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 175 pounds
School: USC
2023 NFL Draft: Jordan Addison Scouting Report
Jordan Addison is an elite wide receiver from USC. Addison earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as the best receiver in the conference. He was featured as the top receiver for one of the nation’s most prolific offenses. The Trojan pass-catcher was the top target for eventual Heisman Trophy Winner Caleb Williams. Addison racked up 59 catches for 875 yards and eight scores while missing three games due to injury.
Nation’s Best Receiver at Pittsburgh
Before Addison was torching Pac-12 defenses he was the nation’s best receiver for the University of Pittsburgh. He earned the Biletnikoff Award as well as AP All-American wide receiver playing for the panthers. In his final season for Pittsburgh Addison tallied 100 receptions with 1,593 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns. The decorated receiver totaled 3,134 yards, 219 receptions, and 29 touchdowns playing for both the Panthers and the Trojans. His skills were on full display in several games in the Pac-12 this season. The star wideout torched UCLA with 11 catches and 178 yards and a touchdown. He showed up big in this rivalry which ultimately decided which team earned entry into the conference title game. Addison’s other big game was against Standford in week two. He went off with seven catches and 172 yards adding two scores to the final tally.
Addison has his share of strengths as well as weaknesses. He is slightly undersized but has great skill and agility marking crisp route-running. He posted a 4.49 second 40-yard dash time. This sub-4.5 speed is enough to consider him a homerun candidate with break-away speed. While his athleticism typically leads to separation, he does not have a history of contested catches or competing for the ball like many NFL receivers before him. If this speedy wide receiver cannot establish separation he could struggle to make an impact and live up to the hype.
Jordan Addison over the past two seasons:
⚔️ 159 REC (3rd)
⚔️ 2,468 YDS (1st)
⚔️ 25 TDs (2nd) pic.twitter.com/EpRQp8xXCh— PFF College (@PFF_College) March 8, 2023
Strengths
- Speed (4.49 40-Yard Dash)
- Quickness
- Acceleration
- Crips Route-Running
- Runs Expanded Route Tree
Weaknesses
- Undersized
- Lacks Contested-Catching Ability
- Can be Pushed Off Route by Physical Defenders
- Below-Average Blocking
- Lacks Experience Against Physical Corners
NFL Player Comparison: Tyler Lockett, DeVonta Smith
Projection: Late 1st Round
Team Fits: Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans
Bottom Line on Jordan Addison
Addison could be an absolutely electric player in the NFL. He’s a slightly undersized, speedy wide receiver. If Addison finds the right home, he could immediately make an impact by running routes at all three field levels. This elusive receiver would fit best with a quarterback and offense who can spread the field. Teams like the Cowboys and Chiefs offer other receivers to help spread the field with an offensive-minded regime and an accurate quarterback to promote one-on-one opportunities spreading the field.
Addison’s biggest weakness is his size. At 6’ 175 pounds, physical defenders could bully the young receiver. The former USC Trojan lacks experience against physical defenders who will attempt to disrupt his route and push him off his spot. Addison excels with crisp route-running and athleticism creating separation. If handsy defenders disrupt his route-running he could get lost in the shuffle and fail to make an impact on his future NFL team.
While he lacks the NFL’s physical stature, Addison is an electric homerun hitter with game-breaking speed. He registered a sub 4.5 40-yard dash time and was a constant home run threat on the gridiron at both USC and the University of Pittsburgh. Addison should be considered one of the top receivers in this 2023 class if not the first pass-catcher taken off the board. Any team that pulls the trigger on Addison will come away with a tremendous talent liable to break open any game.
Main Photo: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
