Vikings make a move that should scare the rest of the NFC
The Minnesota Vikings made a move in the 2023 NFL Draft that should scare the rest of the NFC. With the No. 23 overall selection (round one), the Vikings drafted USC wide receiver Jordan Addison. Addison spent the 2022 season at USC after spending the first part of his collegiate career at Pittsburgh (where he […]
The Minnesota Vikings made a move in the 2023 NFL Draft that should scare the rest of the NFC.
With the No. 23 overall selection (round one), the Vikings drafted USC wide receiver Jordan Addison.
Addison spent the 2022 season at USC after spending the first part of his collegiate career at Pittsburgh (where he won the Biletnikoff Award in 2021).
Addison had a bit of a down season in 2022 after a monster season in 2021 at Pittsburgh. But some of that can be attributed to playing in a new offense at a program that hired a new coach ahead of the 2022 season.
The Maryland native is an elite route runner — probably the best in this draft class — and he's athletic enough to make plays anywhere on the field.
Here's the draft profile on Addison (via NFL.com): 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. 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.
Combining Addison with Justin Jefferson gives the Vikings one of the most potent wide receiver duos in the league. Jefferson is already in the running for the "best wide receiver in the NFL" moniker and Addison has the talent to join him.
With Aaron Rodgers leaving the NFC North and the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears still looking to prove they can be playoff teams, it's the Vikings that are poised to dominate the division for years to come. The rest of the NFC might want to take notice of what's happening in Minnesota. The Vikings are going to be a problem for the foreseeable future.
