There’s a New Viking in Minny

Will Excite
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Minnesota Vikings fans have thirsted for recreation of the “Three Deep” trio of Randy Moss, Cris Carter, and Jake Reed from the late-1990s, and this time, it may actually come to fruition.

Indeed, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used his 23rd overall pick on USC wide receiver Jordan Addison Thursday night. Many Vikings fans — and this website — expected the club to trade back and accumulate draft picks, but that hypothesis was wrong, and Addison is a Viking.

There’s a New Viking in Minny

No wide receiver has been chosen at pick No. 23 in an NFL draft since Laquon Treadwell in 2016, who also joined the Vikings.

a New Viking in
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The Vikings finished 13-4 in 2022, encountered a naughty Wildcard playoff exit at home, and subsequently were assigned a draft pick near the end of Round 1. The team’s defense struggled for most of 2022, leading folks to surmise defense would be on the menu in the early part of the draft. However, the club hired Brian Flores in February, and he’s evidently content with his current defensive bunch, at least to an extent.

Addison’s scouting report indicates a true-blue weapon, ready to contribute on Day 1 — not a boom-or-bust commodity or “good at one thing” type of wideout. He’s known as a target merchant, able to handle an ample workload.

1st Mock Draft Says
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Interestingly, Vikings fans and Vegas sportsbooks accurately predicted Addison to Minnesota. We polled Vikings-themed social media last week for a Round 1 draft prediction, and Addison was the choice by a whisker over Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker.

Addison should prevent opposing defensive coordinators from “selling out” to stop Justin Jefferson, a tendency that started to become commonplace in 2022. Imagining Jefferson, Addison, plus teammates K.J. Osborn and T.J. Hockenson, makes for a lethal assortment of targets available to quarterback Kirk Cousins in September.

The 21-year-old tabulated 3,134 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns in three seasons at Pittsburgh and USC. He’s not the largest human in the NFL, though, checking in just under 6’0″ and about 175 pounds.

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Addison is known for his technical prowess in separating from defenders and can be a high-volume workhorse. He ran a 4.49 forty at the 2023 NFL Combine. The Draft Network’s Kyle Crabbs described Addison during the draft’s build-up, “The biggest thing that pops with Addison is just how dynamic his play is before he gathers the football. There’s a very strong sense of altering pace and attacking coverages with timing, allowing coverages to unfold before accelerating into his break and creating optimal separation.”

“His offensive explosion in 2021 showcased constant separation both down the field and across the middle — he’s a quarterback’s dream in this regard; never mind his ability in the quick game and screen game to create as well,” Crabbs added.

Addison is the sixth USC Trojan drafted by the Vikings in franchise history from Round 1 of the draft — the most by Minnesota from any school.

The Vikings are scheduled to pick next in Round 3 at No. 87 on Friday night.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.

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