Welcome to the NFL young beginner! After being important players in their universities, rookies must once again earn their places in the pros. Who are they and what hopes do they raise? Come and discover these new gems. Today, we head to the north of the country with receiver Jordan Addison.
Jordan Addison
Born January 27, 2002 in Frederick, Maryland
1m80 for 80 kilos
Receiver, Minnesota Vikings
Coming from a family of 10 children, Jordan Addison found a new family in Minnesota. After the east then the west of the country, his journey now takes him to the Midwest : SKOL!
If I were a starter in the NFL: progressiveness
Not wanting to burn his wings, Kevin O’Connell launches the beginner carefully. A young player can quickly lose confidence in his talent because the level gap with the NCAA is significant. Jordan Addison therefore begins the season with only 56% of offensive plays played against Tampa Bay.
His presence increases to 69% for the second match then 71% for the third. However, he is only the fourth option on offense because receivers Justin Jefferson and KJ Osborn, as well as tight end TJ Hockenson, play more than him over the first five games.
Justin Jefferson’s injury in Week 5 pushes him up the rankings. Jordan Addison then played six games in which he played 90.5% of Minnesota’s offensive games! With 647 yards and 7 touchdowns in 11 games, he justifies the investment of a 1st round pick in the 2023 draft.
If Jordan Addison was a quality: liveliness
In the original version, American analysts distinguish the terms speed And quickness. Jordan Addison has enough speed to attack the depth of the court. But his time of 4.49 seconds over 40 yards only ranks him 21st at the receiver position at the 2023 NFL Combine!
Jordan Addison, on the other hand, is very quick to get rid of the marking of a defender wanting to follow his route. And when he has the ball in his hands, he gains a third of his yards after reception.
If I were a flaw: average athlete
Jordan Addison has the physical qualities to play in the NFL. But not those of the best athletes in this league.
This sport requires significant athletic qualities: knowing how to sprint, jump and change directions quickly are important. This is why NFL staff pay attention to NFL Combine performances.
During the 2023 edition, Jordan Addison’s results were average/good. Far behind those of Jonathan Mingo (Carolina), Rashee Rice (Kansas City), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle) or the very intelligent Andrei Iosivas. Jordan Addison is not that unusual type of athlete!
Most experts before the draft agreed on his lack of size, when it was necessary to include a weakness in his Scouting Report. Yet the list is long for receivers of his stature experiencing success in the NFL: from Jaylen Waddle (Miami) to Diontae Johnson (Pittsburgh), from Jahan Dotson (Washington) to Chris Olave (New Orleans).
Another concern before his draft, Jordan Addison released too many balls at the University of Pittsburgh: 21 drops in 21 tenures! He was able to correct this defect at the University of USC with only two drops in 11 games in 2022. He confirms with the pros after 41 receptions and no drops in his first 9 NFL games (before committing one against the Saints during the week 10) !
If Jordan Addison was an NFL player: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
The two players share a similar size and the same qualities of speed and liveliness. Whether it’s to make plays that bring a lot of yards at once or to gain yards after reception by dodging the first tackler.
Author of 6 touchdowns in his rookie season in 2015, Tyler Lockett then signed 8 touchdowns or more from 2018 to 2022! After assisting Doug Baldwin, he is now the lieutenant of athletic phenomenon DK Metcalf. Following the same strategy, Jordan Addison was recruited to be Justin Jefferson’s first lieutenant.
If I were a course: Pittsburgh then USC
Jordan Addison grew up in the state of Maryland north of the capital Washington DC. Playing receiver, cornerback and quarterback in his high school, he dreamed of joining the University of Notre Dame because his mother comes from South Bend, Indiana, where the campus of this Catholic university is located.
THE Fighting Irish of Notre Dame does offer him a scholarship but to play cornerback, which is not his preferred position. He therefore joined the University of Pittsburgh to play receiver. In 2021, he had a 17-touchdown season catching passes from Kenny Pickett (Steelers). The latter immediately joining the NFL, Jordan Addison decided to change university.
On the other side of the country in Los Angeles with USC, he confirmed his abilities. And after allowing Kenny Pickett to become a 1st round pick in the draft, quarterback Caleb Williams won the trophy for best college player (Heisman Trophy) by throwing his passes at him!
Jordan Addison, the type of receiver who enhances a quarterback? Even more so after Kirk Cousins’ injury, the Vikings hope so.
