Vikings coach identifies key traits that will ensure Jordan Addison's long-term success
There are many different aspects to rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison’s game which led the Minnesota Vikings to nab him with the 23rd overall pick in April’s draft. On Wednesday, Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell spent some time talking to reporters on what makes Addison so special. The Vikings had been holding out hope […]
There are many different aspects to rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison’s game which led the Minnesota Vikings to nab him with the 23rd overall pick in April’s draft. On Wednesday, Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell spent some time talking to reporters on what makes Addison so special.
The Vikings had been holding out hope that Addison would slip to the No. 23 overall pick. Thanks to a late run on wide receivers, Addison plucked up by Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
The football world familiarized themselves with Addison after an exceptional sophomore season at Pittsburgh. He compiled 100 receptions for 1,593 receiving yards and an astonishing 17 touchdowns. His two seasons at Pittsburgh placed him on the draft boards of many NFL general managers.
In 2022, Addison continued to excel at USC by making jaw-dropping catches in huge moments.
McCardell knew how much Addison could help the Vikings, while also making his life easier in the process. When asked about his initial feelings about drafting Addison, McCardell compared it to landing a royal flush off the flop in poker.
“I felt good about the situation because Jordan was our guy that we wanted and he was right there in our lap,” McCardell recalled. “But the fact that ownership, Kevin, Kwesi and them decided to go ahead and make that decision to draft them was great for me, but it was also great for this team.”
Addison’s fit makes even more sense considering the team had moved on from Adam Thielen earlier in the offseason. Thielen was a fan-favorite in Minnesota and left sizable holes in on-field production and locker room leadership.
“We were replacing a guy that was unbelievable for this team for this city,” McCardell said alluding Thielen’s departure. “To have a guy with Jordan’s skillset to be able to step in and fill those shoes was something that was really good for us.”
There are plenty of expectations tied to any first-round pick in the NFL and Addison is no different. Every season there are a handful of draft picks that succumb to the pressure and fall flat on their faces. McCardell is sure that Addison won’t fall into that category.
“He's a quiet confident guy. And when you have a receiver that's confident and is quiet, has a demeanor that he has, you can't help but know that he's gonna be successful.”
