Jordan Addison hopes to join the list of great Viking wide receivers
Our friends at Vikings Wire have had to study up on USC players. The “Minnesota Trojans” are giving the Vikings Wire staff plenty of articles to write about.
Consider this particular point:
“The Minnesota Vikings have a really good history of drafting wide receivers in the early 20s,” Tyler Forness wrote. “Randy Moss, Percy Harvin and Justin Jefferson were all drafted between pick 21-23. Jordan Addison joins that list after the Vikings selected him at 23rd overall during the first round of the 2023 NFL draft.
“Addison won the Biletnikoff Award in 2021 as the best wide receiver in college football. He was winning with great route running and maximizing his play after the catch.”
What will enable Addison to join Moss and Jefferson among the great young receivers who flourished with the Vikings? Let’s take a look:
(h/t Tyler Forness of Vikings Wire)
TWITCHY MOVEMENT SKILLS
Oct 15, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) catches a pass against the Utah Utes in the second half at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports
From Forness (all quotes from these slides are from his Vikings Wire article):
The quick twitch in his routes is evident from an early point in his career. This rep was from the beginning of the 2021 season when Addison won the Biletnikoff Award. He moves with twitch and it starts from the release. His quick release prevents the defender from getting his hands on Addison and he can snap off his route in an instant to create immediate separation.
CREATIVITY
Oct 1, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) warms up prior a game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
He works so well in space when you watch him running routes. Savvy is the right way to describe what he does to create space. This rep is the epitome of his creativity.
At the top of the stem is where he makes most of his moves. This one was particularly impressive and, quite frankly, cool. The corner gets physical with him and instead of trying to shift through it, Addison ducks like he’s doing American Ninja Warrior and gets to the sideline quickly.
FOOTWORK
Oct 1, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) runs away from Arizona State Sun Devils defensive back D.J. Taylor (3) for a first down in the first half at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
He displays great footwork consistently and does so in multiple situations, one of which is at the top of the stem. His lack of physicality is concerning but he overcomes that regularly. This is also where I think he has better than his tested 4.49 speed. He is attacking the defender hard and the defender is giving him a lot of respect for it. What gets him separation at the stem is a hard step to the inside and he gets a free release out toward the sideline.
FIT WITH VIKINGS
Sep 10, 2022; Stanford, California, USA; USC Trojans offensive lineman Bobby Haskins (70) points at wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) after scoring a touchdown during the first quarter against the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
One of the reasons why Addison is such a great fit is how talented he is at winning down the field as a deep threat. You pair the two together and it’s almost as if you have a second Jefferson archetype.
Needless to say, the future looks bright for Addison, especially since he will start as the de facto fourth option.
SAVVY
Nov 19, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) runs the ball against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Understanding the little nuances of football like leverage and tempo are key to be an excellent route runner. He does both of those things very well.
