USC Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison is viewed as one of the top wide receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft class. Many would argue there is no clear-cut favorite among pass-catchers to be the first off the board on April 27, but Addison is certainly in that bunch of candidates to hear his name called first.
Like all the other wideouts in this upcoming draft class, Addison is not without his flaws. Yet, the Frederick, Maryland native has long been viewed as a player destined to turn pro.
Now that we’re poring over the top wide receiver prospects, it’s fair to say Addison doesn’t stand out above the competition in any one specific area. He’s not the tallest, he’s not the fastest, but that doesn’t mean Addison can’t still be the best.
While it’s true that Addison may not have off the charts measurables, he still has a polished skillset with plenty of NFL traits that should translate to the next level. Here’s how Addison came in at the NFL Combine.
Jordan Addison measurables
- Jordan Addison height: 5-foot-11
- Jordan Addison weight: 173 pounds
- Jordan Addison 40 time: 4.49 seconds
Let’s dive into our Jordan Addison scouting report and NFL projection.
Jordan Addison stats and background
While we know Addison most recently as Caleb Williams’ leading receiver with the Trojans, he actually got his start at Pittsburgh, catching passes from Kenny Pickett instead. Addison arrived on campus at Pittsburgh as a four-star recruit in the eyes of 247 Sports, where he was ranked as the 275th-best prospect in the nation.
Yet it didn’t take long for Addison to make his mark, starting eight games as a freshman, recording 666 yards and four touchdowns. He followed that up with a truly dominant sophomore season, going off for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns as Pickett catapulted into a first-round prospect. With his QB graduating Pitt to join the Pittsburgh Steelers, Addison decided to transfer to USC, where he’d be paired with eventual Heisman-winning QB Caleb Williams.
Addison didn’t quite enjoy the same success, but he still proved effective, racking up over 800 yards and 8 touchdowns while his QB stole the spotlight. Now, Addison’s headed to the pros as one of the most productive players to emerge from this year’s talent pool.
| Jordan Addison stats | Receptions | Rec. Yards | TDs | YPC |
| 2020 | 60 | 666 | 4 | 11.1 |
| 2021 | 100 | 1,593 | 17 | 15.9 |
| 2022 | 59 | 875 | 8 | 14.8 |
Related: 2023 NFL Draft rumors
Statistics courtesy of College Football Reference, ESPN, and Pro Football Focus
Jordan Addison scouting report
As mentioned, Addison doesn’t jump off the screen as an electrifying prospect, but he also doesn’t necessarily do anything bad that make you want to look away either. All around, he’s a very sound player who was still reliable despite playing with different QBs in unique offenses.
One area where Addison may stand out is his route-running, where the former Trojans receiver has a knack to create additional separation simply by being so smooth coming in and out of his breaks.
Addison may have only run a 4.49 40-yard dash, but it’s clear from what we’ve seen in college, he doesn’t lack speed. He’s just not Tyreek Hill fast, but then again, who is?
It’s hard to argue with his consistent production at both Pitt and USC, and from a development standpoint, Addison’s already one of the most NFL-ready players in the class. Sure, adding a bit of muscle likely couldn’t hurt, but if Addison can continue making defenders look foolish as he jukes them out of their cleats, being a bit lighter on his feet could work to his advantage too.
Addison’s ceiling may not reach as high as that of Quentin Johnston, or even the super speedy Zay Flowers, but he feels like a safe draft choice who won’t have any trouble producing at the next level.
After having a total of five games where he tallied over 150 receiving yards, Addison showed he has the ability to take over a game, including during a 202-yard, 4 TD performance against Virginia during his sophomore season. His dominance led to winning the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nation’s top receiver, and now he’ll look to continue his success in the pros.
If there’s one area we’d say Addison could afford to improve in, it’s being more focused when catching the ball. While he showed enough toughness to go up and snatch footballs at the point of attack, he also had 21 drops across two seasons with Pittsburgh. The bright side is he only dropped two passes at USC. As long as those hiccups don’t return, we don’t see any reason why Addison can’t be one of the first receivers off the board.
- Jordan Addison draft grade: 81/100
- Jordan Addison NFL Draft projection: First-round
NFL projection for Jordan Addison
It’s hard to imagine Addison becoming a bust in the NFL. While durability concerns can always spring up out of thin air, Addison appears to have just enough speed to be a difference maker, and he seems born to be a receiver, with a natural pass-catching ability.
Addison can run any route you could possibly imagine and he runs with a purpose, expecting to get the ball each and every time. These are traits everyone wants to see from their top receiver. Even if he may not physically look like a No. 1 threat, Addison proved he could be just that in college.
Ultimately it depends on his fit, where Addison lands, and who will be throwing him passes in the NFL. But he feels like a prospect that will see plenty of early playing time and could even compete for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award if he receives enough opportunities.
Addison could very well become the next weapon with less-than-ideal height to develop into a consistent 1,000-yard receiver at the next level. We have zero questions about his ability to make an instant impact and should be able to hit the ground with a full head of steam with whichever team selects him in the first round.