Vikings Draft Wide Receiver With No. 23 Overall Pick
By Jason Hall
April 28, 2023
The Minnesota Vikings selected former USC wide receiver Jordan Addison at No. 23 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft Thursday (April 27) night.
Addison, 21, recorded 59 receptions for 875 yards and eight touchdowns during his lone season at USC. The Maryland native had previously spent two seasons at Pittsburgh, which included recording 100 receptions for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns during his sophomore season in 2021.
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein projected Addison to be a first-round pick and compared him to Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett.
"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," Zierlein wrote. "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."
NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah predicted the Vikings would take Addison in his final mock draft for NFL.com published on Wednesday (April 27).
"The Vikings love versatile receivers who are also great route-runners. That’s a good way to describe Addison, who would take over the role Adam Thielen played," Jeremiah wrote.
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