The Minnesota Vikings have a really good history of drafting wide receivers in the early 20s. 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.
His athletic testing left something to be desired and that’s why he was the fourth wide receiver off the board. It is worth noting that he had to pull himself out of drills due to an injury.
The Vikings didn’t draft him for his athleticism, but rather how technically sound of a route runner he is. Addison is the best in the class at it and is a great complement to Jefferson.
Twitchy movement skills
One of the ways that Justin Jefferson wins consistently is with quick twitch in and out of breaks. In a similar vein, Addison does that as well.
They aren’t identical players, but both fell into the 20s because there were questions about athleticism, fit and their frame. Jefferson proved everyone wrong and Addison is going to try and do the same.
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.
It’s also evident on the goal line. Stefon Diggs was really successful in running what’s called a whip route. That is where you start running a slant, dip your hips and start running the other way. Addison can do that and makes it look easy.
Creativity
Route running is a science, but there is also an artistic element to it. Addison said as such during his introductory press conference.
“When I’m running my routes, I like to look at it like I’m an artist and I’m going out there painting pictures. I just fell in love with the craft, and I feel like that’s what’s helping me succeed.”
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.
This one is a different kind of creativity. He runs his route normally, but due to the coverage, has to alter his path. What makes this impressive is that Addison avoids any physical contact, something that is important for a player of his size. He flows through the condensed zone and gets the catch without being knocked off his axis. That level of savvy is great from a 19-year-old.
Footwork
When you have the kind of route-running skills that Addison has, your footwork is one of your best traits.
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.
He’s also great at manipulating cornerbacks at the release. Preventing cornerbacks from getting their hands on you is great process and Addison is great at the line of scrimmage. He hits the stutter step on the corner and gets open for an easy pitch-and-catch on a slant route
Savvy
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.
Here, Addison uses tempo to sell the short route and runs through the zone to maximize the zone opening.
Blind spots are a great way to create separation.When you get the cornerback turned around, you can manipulate them by attacking the area where they can’t see. Addison gets the defender to flip his hips and creates a throwing window for his quarterback Caleb Williams.
His fit
The idea to improve the wide receiver position opposite Jefferson is one that I’ve been clamoring for since last season. This team needed it and they finally have one.
Last year, they didn’t have an explosive enough route runner nor did they have anyone who got consistently open underneath. That becomes a major problem when you are talking about that receiver getting single coverage against the opponents at best second cornerback. When projecting to the next level, Addison should be able to do that with ease and consistency.
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.
