Now that the 2022 college football season is over, it’s time to start taking a closer look at some of the top prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class.
Next up, we have USC wide receiver and former Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison.
- Big board rank: 13
- Height: 6 feet
- Weight: 175 pounds
Stat to know: Addison averaged 2.78 yards per route run in 2022, 11th among the 136 draft-eligible wide receivers who saw at least 50 targets. He also generated a seventh-ranked 139.0 passer rating when targeted.
NFL role: Addison has been one of the best receivers in the country over the last two years. He won the Biletnikoff Award at Pittsburgh in 2021 after finishing with 1,593 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns, and while his production slightly dipped in 2022, he still went for 875 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Not too shabby.
The 20-year-old pass-catcher is as NFL-ready as it gets. He is extremely versatile and athletic, which gives NFL teams a lot of options. Over his three-year career, he's played 1,102 snaps in the slot and 757 snaps out wide, recording over 1,200 receiving yards at both positions.
This will give him the ability to make an impact on just about every NFL roster. He is a true No. 1 receiver who can run all the routes in the book.
I’d be a very happy man if Pittsburgh WR Jordan Addison ends up with the #Bears in the 2023 draft.
Fantastic route runner and athletic weapon. 6 WRs went Round 1 this year, and Addison beat them all out for the Biletnikoff. pic.twitter.com/8OUxdzhz8x
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) May 4, 2022
Highest-graded game: WEEK 2 VS. STANFORD (83.8)
Addison left his mark early on in this game, scoring two long touchdowns in the first quarter. He finished with 7 catches, 172 yards and five explosive pass plays of 15 or more yards, and he set season-high marks in both yards per reception (24.6) and yards after the catch per reception (11.0).
Jordan Addison clips vs. Stanford pic.twitter.com/pvhnRmhwtk
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) November 15, 2022
Lowest-graded game: WEEK 11 VS. COLORADO (55.8)
It was the quietest game you'll ever see out of Jordan Addison, as he caught just one pass for two yards across just two targets. It was the only time in his college career that he was kept under three catches.
What he does well: It’s easy to say that Addison does everything well, but that's pretty much the case. He can run a wide range of routes from both the slot and out wide but has graded best on slants, crossing routes and out-routes.
He also has some of the best hands in the country, as he dropped just two of his 62 catchable targets over the season — much improved from his first two seasons (21 drops across 186 catchable targets).
Jordan Addison has great burst and explosiveness off the snap with fantastic change of direction abilities. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/zGLoVDptYf
— WBG84 (@WBG84) December 27, 2022
What he needs to improve: Addison's sophomore season was much better than his junior season. He “regressed” in all statistical categories, but he also played with a much better receiving corps.
Drops were a big issue for Addison at Pittsburgh, but this was not as much of a problem for him at USC. He has clearly already improved in that area and will need to continue that progression into the NFL.
The only other minor concerns for Addison are his size and speed. He is in no way slow, but he is also not the fastest guy you’ll see on the field, especially for someone who weighs only 175 pounds. He’ll definitely want to put on some weight to feel more comfortable going up against bigger defensive backs at the next level, as there aren't many star wide receivers in the league who weigh less than 180 pounds.
Best NFL trait: Explosive, great ball skills, versatile route-runner, good hands.
Best NFL fits: Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans.
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