The Minnesota Vikings have taken USC wide receiver Jordan Addison with Pick 23 in the First Round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Vikings moved to replace Adam Thielen with their first pick, rather than taking a quarterback, with Will Levis and Hendon Hooker both still on the board.
With some surprising picks – particularly from the Detroit Lions – earlier in the draft, a bevy of attractive options presented themselves to the Vikings at No. 23, including Levis and Hooker, cornerback Joey Porter Jr., and defensive back Brian Branch.
They’re now adding a young, hungry complement to superstar Justin Jefferson.
Cool note about new #Vikings WR Jordan Addison. His visit here went well. Some college programs recruited him as a corner. Wise move to go receiver route. Played in same youth association as former Vikings WR Stefon Diggs. Definite love for Diggs with that Maryland connection. https://t.co/Q121HSKGpl
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) April 28, 2023
After catching for almost 1,600 and 17 touchdowns for the Pittsburgh Panthers in 2021, Addison transferred to Lincoln Riley’s USC in 2022. He was a first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection, leading the Trojans in receiving yards with a line of 59-875-14.8 and eight TDs in 11 games, missing three games due to injury.
NFL.com describes Addison as an “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.”
Related: Should the Vikings be afraid of taking an undersized receiver?
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