Pac-12 DC Says Vikings' Jordan Addison 'Never Blew Me Away'

Addison's lack of size is something he'll have to overcome in the NFL.

Jordan Addison, the Vikings' first-round pick in this year's draft, has the route-running ability and hands to become a great wide receiver in the NFL. However, his lack of size means he would be a historical outlier if he does turn into a star, which is the primary reason why some people aren't sold on that happening.

An anonymous Pac-12 defensive coordinator who coached against Addison last year told ESPN's Adam Rittenberg that the 2021 Biletnikoff winner "never blew me away." Another Pac-12 coach cited Addison's frame when saying he wasn't as scared of him as he was of some previous USC receivers.

"I would much rather face Addison than JuJu (Smith-Schuster) or Robert Woods, Marqise Lee, some of these other wideouts that USC has had," the coach said. "The others could physically mess with you. They were just bigger bodies. Addison is smooth and has really good speed and really good hands. Those other guys just scared me more."

Addison is 5'11" and weighed in at 171 pounds at the combine. There simply haven't been very many successful receivers in that weight range in NFL history. Addison also ran a 4.49 with a mediocre vertical jump at the combine, but his 40 time requires some additional context.

What the Vikings are betting on is that Addison's refined route-running skills, speed, and hands can make up for his lack of weight. They'll also help him add strength in the weight room.

Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce is Addison's closest RAS comparison, so that's one example of a smaller receiver who thrived in the NFL. Bruce was 5'11", 173 pounds and ran a 4.55 40. With that said, the game has changed a bit since Bruce's peak in the late '90s and early 2000s. The defensive coordinator who said Addison never blew him away mentioned Donald Driver to Rittenberg as a potential comparison, although Driver was listed at 6-foot, 194 pounds.

Antonio Brown, T.Y. Hilton, DeSean Jackson, and Emmanuel Sanders are some recent examples of standout receivers who weighed around 185 or less.

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