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Jordan Addison

WR Notes: Flowers, Vikings, Chiefs, Giants, Addison, Bucs, Johnston, Robinson, Moore

April 27th, 2023 at 1:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zay Flowers does not appear likely to fall out of the first round, and his final pre-draft meetup looks to have gone well. The Chiefs organizing a Flowers-Patrick Mahomes workout in Texas has led to interest on the defending Super Bowl champions’ part, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. They are not alone. The Giants and Vikings are Flowers fans as well. Previous reports also indicated the Bears and Chargers are intrigued by the speedy Boston College product, despite his 5-foot-9 stature. Flowers would be an atypical first-round pick, with Marquise Brown (2019) and Tavon Austin (2013) the only receivers chosen in Round 1 at 5-9 or shorter in the 21st century. But Flowers made a number of pre-draft visits and, coming off his only 1,000-yard college season, will be one of the first receivers off the board.

The Vikings released Adam Thielen earlier this year and have K.J. Osborn going into a contract year. Considering Justin Jefferson‘s likely extension price, Minnesota paying multiple wideouts notable veteran sums might be difficult. The Giants have performed an extensive examination on the top wideouts available.

Here is the latest from the rookie and veteran receiver landscape:

  • Regarding the Giants‘ receiver studies, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports indicates they are also believed to be considering USC’s Jordan Addison in Round 1 (Twitter link), indicating Addison might be ahead of Flowers on the team’s board. A Pitt transfer who finished his career with Heisman winner Caleb Williams, Addison spent time with the Giants during the pre-draft process. The team adding Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder and re-signing Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton — along with the 2022 second-round selection of Wan’Dale Robinson — certainly does not point to this Giants regime mandating big-bodied wideouts. While Flowers is 5-9, Addison is only 5-11. One of these two stepping in as a potential No. 1 target would round out an interesting receiver room.
  • Shifting to a taller target, the Buccaneers are believed to be interested in 6-3 TCU alum Quentin Johnston, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline offers. The Bucs would make for an unexpected Johnston destination, as they have Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and 2022 free agency addition Russell Gage on the roster. Gage, however, underwhelmed in his Tampa Bay debut, while Evans is entering his age-30 season. The Chiefs are also interested in Johnston, with Pauline confirming previous reports Kansas City is both pro-Johnston and interested in trading up from No. 31.
  • Being moved to the Steelers, Allen Robinson will be prepared to work with yet another starting quarterback this year. But the well-traveled wideout will have a delayed start for on-field Steeler work. The team will hold its new receiver out of voluntary offseason workouts, per The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (on Twitter). Robinson is recovering from late-season foot surgery. He missed the Rams’ final seven games last season due to injury.
  • Ryan Poles confirmed D.J. Moore was indeed mandatory in the Bears‘ March trade with the Panthers. “You go back and forth and have those conversations that go over a couple of weeks, and there are some non-negotiables that you say, ‘Well, I need to have this in the package.’ DJ was that for us,” Poles said during an interview with former NFLers Charles Tillman and Roman Harper on the NFL Players: Second Acts podcast (h/t Pro Football Network). “We wanted to add more playmakers to this roster. We wanted a player that can really help Justin [Fields] be successful. So that’s kind of [what] we stuck with and went hard on that, and it worked out.” The Bears also discussed Brian Burns and Derrick Brown with the Panthers but ended up prying away their No. 1 receiver in the deal for the top pick.

Chiefs High On Quentin Johnston, Arrange Patrick Mahomes-Zay Flowers Workout

April 19th, 2023 at 1:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Zay Flowers logged some travel miles during this pre-draft visit period. The Boston College prospect has met with the Titans, Ravens, Patriots, Raiders, Cowboys, Giants and Bills. While Flowers did not have any other visits booked, the Chiefs will use the final day for pre-draft visits to have their franchise centerpiece gather additional intel.

The Chiefs arranged for a Flowers workout with Patrick Mahomes in Texas, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Flowers visited the Titans on Tuesday and was not planning any additional meetings, but the Chiefs are in need at wide receiver and figure to be on the radar for Flowers — depending on how far he falls in Round 1.

Evaluators are split on the 5-foot-9 Flowers and USC’s Jordan Addison, per ProFootballNetwork.com’s Tony Pauline, who notes some teams do not have first-round grades on either. Both undersized pass catchers have been popular on the March-April interview circuit, but this year’s receiver draft class has not produced the same type of rave reviews as the past three years did.

Ranking just outside the top 20 in the view of ESPN’s Scouts Inc. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, Flowers played four seasons at Boston College and upped his draft stock with his first 1,000-yard year — a 1,077-yard, 12-TD showing — in 2022. The diminutive target’s explosiveness has caught certain teams’ eye, though the Chiefs might not be out of range for him at No. 31. The Chiefs, who hold 10 picks (two fourth-rounders), traded up in last year’s first round to select Trent McDuffie.

Flowers is not the only wideout the Chiefs are being tied to as the draft nears. They are “very high on” TCU’s Quentin Johnston, per Pauline. Standing 6-3, Johnston joins DeAndre Hopkins as big-bodied wideouts on the Chiefs’ radar. The Chiefs are among the many teams who brought in the former Horned Frogs standout. Johnston finished last season with 1,069 receiving yards, helping the Big 12 program make an unlikely appearance in the national championship game. While drops were an issue for Johnston, his frame differs from the other top wideouts available next week.

Kansas City lost both J.J. Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman in free agency, though the team made an attempt to keep Smith-Schuster. The Chiefs return Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore. The latter two are expected to play bigger roles in 2023, with Toney in particular — injuries notwithstanding — ticketed for a responsibility upgrade. But the Chiefs have been connected to both veterans and first-round-caliber wideouts. Kansas City has not chosen a receiver in the first round under Andy Reid, but the team is making an effort — after passing on a monster Tyreek Hill third contract — to keep costs low at the position.

Meanwhile, in Kansas City, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets team brass is meeting with Georgia tackle Broderick Jones on Wednesday. Also expected to go in Round 1, Jones has met with a few teams already. The Chiefs are planning to move $20MM-per-year tackle Jawaan Taylor to the blind side, after he spent his career as a Jaguars right tackle, but they lost starting right tackle Andrew Wylie to the Commanders. After backing up future Charger Jamaree Salyer in 2021, Jones became Georgia’s left tackle starter last season. Jeremiah ranks Jones as this draft’s 17th-best prospect.

WR Draft Rumors: Smith-Njigba, Flowers, Downs, Giants

April 14th, 2023 at 9:23pm CST by Ely Allen

We’ve recorded a number of visits for Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, one of the 2023 NFL Draft’s top wide receivers. So far, he’s visited (or reportedly made plans to visit) the Giants, Falcons, Ravens, Texans, Bills, and Cowboys. A new report, from Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2, adds the Cardinals, Bears, Saints, and Panthers to that list.

Several NFL teams are looking past an injury-plagued final season at Ohio State and focusing on an outstanding sophomore season that saw Smith-Njigba vastly outperform last year’s first-round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. In the 21-year-old’s strongest season, he led the team in receptions (95) and receiving yards (1,606) while reeling in nine touchdowns.

All four teams currently have some strong players in the receivers room, but Arizona could likely use the most help at the position with DeAndre Hopkins likely on his way out. The Saints currently roster Smith-Njigba’s former teammate, Olave, along with Michael Thomas and last year’s other rookie Rashid Shaheed. The Bears brought in D.J. Moore from Carolina and hope he will supplement Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool, who both had disappointing seasons in 2022. Carolina won’t miss Moore too much after bringing in Adam Thielen and DJ Chark to play with Terrace Marshall.

Smith-Njigba could potentially play an exclusive role in the slot as a pro, which would really open up the playing opportunities on the outside for the players mentioned above. Regardless, it’s become clear to see that Smith-Njigba has been a hot name in the weeks leading up to the draft.

Here are some rumors concerning other top wideouts in the upcoming draft:

  • Likewise to Smith-Njigba, Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers has already had a number of reported visits including the Patriots, Giants, Cowboys, Raiders, and Saints. According to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, the 22-year-old will be adding the Bills to that list. Buffalo currently boasts a strong top-two in Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis, but with the departure of Isaiah McKenzie in free agency, they could use a strong WR3. At 5-foot-10, Flowers would be a perfect fit alongside Diggs and Davis, who excel on the outside.
  • In a strange sequence of events, North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs, who is expected to be a Day 2 draft pick, has reportedly not set up any official visits, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Over the past two years with Drake Maye at quarterback, Downs racked up 195 receptions for 2,364 yards and 19 touchdowns, leading the team in both categories both seasons. The lack of visits certainly doesn’t mean a lack of interest, but it likely won’t help convince teams to move him up their boards.
  • As for what teams may be interested in drafting these top prospects, we’ve heard the common teams like Baltimore, Green Bay, and Houston, but another team to watch is the Giants, according to Matt Miller of ESPN.com. Miller posits that, despite adding Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder and re-signing Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard, the wide receiver position is still dominating conversations around New York. He links Big Blue to Flowers and USC wide receiver Jordan Addison, specifically. The Giants have been connected to just about every top wide receiver in this draft, and it will certainly be interesting to see if the Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime takes that route months after trading Kadarius Toney.

AFC West Notes: JuJu, Chargers, Broncos

April 14th, 2023 at 5:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

After two years of low-level deals in free agency, J.J. Smith-Schuster finally cashed in via his Patriots pact. The seventh-year wide receiver signed a three-year, $25.5MM deal that came with $16MM fully guaranteed. The Pats guaranteed Smith-Schuster exactly what the Raiders locked in for Jakobi Meyers, and they will expect upper-echelon performance. Smith-Schuster, 26, increased his market through his 78-reception, 933-yard Chiefs season, becoming the Super Bowl champions’ top Tyreek Hill replacement. Smith-Schuster wanted to stay in Kansas City, and the Chiefs aimed to keep him. While Andy Reid confirmed the sides discussed a deal all the way up to the Patriots agreement, the Chiefs are going with lower-cost options at receiver presently.

“You’ve got to manage all the cap stuff. We couldn’t give him what they gave him,” Reid said, via the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, of matching the Patriots’ offer. “We talked all the way through it. It’s good for him; he deserves that opportunity.”

The Chiefs have been connected to both Odell Beckham Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins, but the OBJ path is now closed after the Ravens handed the injury-prone receiver a surprising $15MM guaranteed. Kansas City is planning bigger roles for Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore, and the team has Marquez Valdes-Scantling attached to what is now a pay-as-you-go contract. Valdes-Scantling’s deal runs through 2024. Here is the latest from the rest of the AFC West:

  • While the Chiefs may be looking to add a piece at receiver in the draft, the Chargers appear ready to add an early-round target. The Bolts are believed to be looking for pass-catching help early in the draft, Jordan Reid of ESPN.com notes. Holding the No. 21 overall pick, the Chargers are coming off a season in which Keenan Allen and Mike Williams both missed extended stretches. While Tom Telesco pushed back against an Allen trade, the Pro Bowler is going into his age-31 season. The Chargers still roster Josh Palmer as a WR3, while DeAndre Carter signed with the Raiders. The Bolts, who have deep threat Jalen Guyton coming off an ACL tear, are seeking perimeter speed, per Reid, who adds Jordan Addison could be a name to watch. Chargers wideouts coach Chris Beatty recruited Addison while at Pitt.
  • The Broncos appear to have four locked-in starters on their offensive line, having signed Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers to go with left tackle Garett Bolles and guard Quinn Meinerz. Center Lloyd Cushenberry has struggled during his Denver tenure and is going into a contract year after an injury-plagued 2022. The Broncos are doing work on centers ahead of this draft, Reid adds. The team holds the Nos. 67 and 68 overall picks. Beyond top center John Michael Schmitz, ESPN’s Scouts Inc. views second- and third-ranked centers Olusegun Oluwatimi (Michigan) and Luke Wypler (Ohio State) as third-round-caliber snappers.
  • One of the Broncos’ stopgap O-line solutions last year, Billy Turner, is not expected back with the team. Turner, whom the Broncos used at right tackle in 2022, told the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson he is not in the team’s 2023 plans (Twitter link). Turner, 31, has enjoyed two Denver stints but followed Nathaniel Hackett over from Green Bay last year. The nine-year veteran said he is 100% after knee trouble limited him last season.
  • Broncos cornerback Faion Hicks was arrested earlier this month for carrying a concealed firearm, Mike Klis of 9News notes. This is a third-degree felony charge; the arrest occurred in Hallandale, Florida. Hicks is free on bond. The Broncos drafted Hicks in the 2022 seventh round; he saw action in only two games and did not play a defensive snap.

Giants To Host WRs Jordan Addison, Jalin Hyatt; Team High On Jaxon Smith-Njigba?

April 11th, 2023 at 3:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Giants made a surprising voyage to the divisional round last season, they are still a team featuring some clear needs heading into the draft. A No. 1-caliber wide receiver is one of them.

The Giants have done their homework on this year’s wide receiver crop leading up to pre-draft visit season, spending time with each of this year’s top-rated wideouts previously. But they will continue to exhaust resources to gauge pass catchers’ viability. USC’s Jordan Addison will meet with the Giants next week, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Tennessee’s Jalin Hyatt is also headed to New York for a Wednesday visit, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.

One of the fastest receivers in this year’s class, Hyatt said his hamstring tightened up before he ran a 4.40-second 40-yard dash time at the Combine. He did not run at Tennessee’s pro day. While both NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Scouts Inc. have Hyatt outside the top 40, ESPN.com’s Matt Miller views the 176-pound burner as a potential top-25 selection. The Bills, Cowboys and Saints have met with Hyatt as well.

Hyatt broke through for a stunning performance against Alabama — in Tennessee’s October win — with a 207-yard, five-touchdown display. Hyatt rode that outing to the Biletnikoff award. Last year represented Hyatt’s only notable run of production with the Volunteers; prior to his 1,267-yard season, the 6-foot target did not top 300 receiving yards in 2020 or ’21.

The Giants, who hold the No. 25 pick, dined with Jaxon Smith-Njigba ahead of the Ohio State alum’s pro day last month. While they are looking into Addison, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano adds Smith-Njigba is the receiver the Giants most likely view as this class’ top prize. A hamstring injury nagged Smith-Njigba throughout last season, but his 2021 — when the slot player’s 1,606 receiving yards dwarfed the totals of first-rounders Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave — still has his stock high. Smith-Njigba might not be available when the Giants pick, and his skillset might not be ideal for a team hoarding slot types already (Sterling Shepard, Parris Campbell, Jamison Crowder to go with Wan’Dale Robinson). A number of teams are looking into the latest draft-eligible Buckeyes receiver talent.

New York is also doing work on front-seven prospects. Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee and edge rusher Will McDonald are on the radar, with SI.com’s Albert Breer indicating (via Twitter) the Iowa State edge visited Monday while the Clemson interior defender is in town today.

Once a top-five national recruit, Bresee bounced back from an injury-plagued 2021. Grading as Jeremiah’s No. 37 prospect, the 298-pound D-tackle could profile as a late-first-round prospect. McDonald saw action in five Cyclones seasons and finished two of them (2020, 2021) in double digits for sacks. The 6-foot-4 edge combined for 26 tackles for loss in that span as well. Both Scouts Inc. and Jeremiah slot McDonald — the Cyclones’ all-time sack leader (34) — 26th in this class.

The Giants are fairly well-invested on both their defensive line and at outside linebacker. They used the No. 5 overall pick on Kayvon Thibodeaux last year and have former second-rounder Azeez Ojulari going into his third season. Up front, the team has Leonard Williams and Dexter Lawrence. Both players are going into contract years, though Lawrence extension talks have begun. A Williams extension also would reduce his mammoth 2023 cap number ($32.26MM).

Bills Meet With WR Jalin Hyatt, To Host Jordan Addison; Trade-Up In Play?

April 11th, 2023 at 9:45am CST by Adam La Rose

Much of the intrigue surrounding this month’s draft has been focused on teams near the top of the board, but the Bills could be a team to watch amongst those currently scheduled to select later on Day 1. They will continue doing homework on a number of receiver options who could be available, and a move up the board may not be out of the question.

Buffalo met with Tennessee alum Jalin Hyatt yesterday, per Jordan Schultz of The Score (Twitter link). That adds to the growing list of teams who have looked into this year’s Biletnikoff award winner as the country’s top receiver, and could point him towards a first-round selection. Hyatt had two modest seasons to begin his career with the Volunteers, but took a massive step forward in 2022 with a 67/1,267/15 statline.

His 18.9 yards per catch average in 2022 makes Hyatt one of the best vertical threats in the 2023 receiver class, one which has led teams around the league in several different directions with respect to evaluations. The All-American is one of several wideouts with first-round potential who is on the slender side (6-0, 175), but he should still be able to carve out a sizeable role early in his NFL career.

The same is true of Jordan Addison, who will visit the Bills this week, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). The Pitt transfer had a down year compared to 2021 in his lone season at USC, but still finds himself in contention to be the top receiver taken and is seen as one of the safest prospects at the position. Addison, like many other wideouts headlining the 2023 class, is likely to see considerable time in the slot at the NFL level, which could make Buffalo an interesting destination.

The Bills are in search of a consistent No. 2 option in the passing game behind Stefon Diggs, and both Hyatt and Addison could provide the skillset needed to find a long-term answer in that regard. Buffalo will also meet with Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as they cast a wide net in their pre-draft evaluations. Given how high at least some of the top receivers will hear their names called, though, the Bills may need to get aggressive to land their preferred option.

ESPN’s Matt Miller notes that a trade-up could be in play for Buffalo, who currently holds pick No. 27. Moving towards the middle of the first round may be necessary to beat out other WR-needy teams for the first or second option, though plenty of uncertainty remains regarding how many pass-catchers will go on Day 1 given the relative lack of star power in this class. The Bills also have just six picks in total this year, so a sizeable move in the first round may not be feasible.

Buffalo ranked seventh in passing offense last season, and the team has made only relatively minor moves at the receiver position so far in free agency. An impact rookie could help give them a potential successor to Gabe Davis in the No. 2 receiver role, since the former fourth-rounder is entering the final year of his rookie contract. How interested the Bills are in one or more of the prospects who could be in their range will be a storyline to watch.

WR Jordan Addison To Visit Vikings, Ravens, Giants, Patriots, Chargers

April 3rd, 2023 at 2:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2023 draft offers a number of high-end receivers available in the first round, one of whom is Jordan Addison. The former Pitt and USC product is continuing a busy schedule of visits with interested teams.

That process will include meetings with the Vikings, Ravens, Giants and Patriots, as detailed by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Each of those sit-downs will constitute one of the 30 allotted to all teams for out-of-town prospects. Wilson adds, however, that Addison also has a local visit scheduled with the Chargers.

Addison flashed plenty of potential in his first season at Pitt, totaling 666 yards on 60 catches. The following year, he and quarterback Kenny Pickett put together a massively productive campaign, one which saw Addison establish himself as one of the top wideouts in the country. In 2021, he finished second in the ACC with 100 receptions, leading the conference in yards (1,593) and touchdowns (17).

Those totals earned him All-American honors and the Biletnikoff Award, along with substantial expectations upon his transfer to USC. In his lone season with the Trojans, the 6-0, 170-pounder recorded 59 catches for 875 and eight touchdowns. While those totals came up well short of his production the year before, they helped cement his status as one of the most effective receivers in the 2023 class, particularly with respect to route running and catch radius.

Of the teams listed, the Vikings, with Justin Jefferson and the Chargers, with Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, already have established high-end wideouts. The latter (who has been listed as an NFL comp for Addison) emerged in trade rumors this offseason, though, and could be a candidate to be replaced in the near future. New England inked JuJu Smith-Schuster as a Jakobi Meyers replacement in free agency, but their pass-catching corps is likely to receive further additions in the coming weeks, including the draft.

Both the Giants and Ravens have been connected to WR moves beyond the relatively minor ones they have already made this offseason. That could, of course, include using Day 1 draft capital at the position as both teams look to take a step forward in the passing game. While Addison’s size and college experience points to him primarily operating in the slot, he represents one of the top options available around the middle of the opening round for any team eyeing an offensive boost.

Giants Meet With Quentin Johnston, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Zay Flowers; Veteran WRs Still On Radar

March 31st, 2023 at 10:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Although the Giants used a first-round pick on a wide receiver in 2021, connecting them to a dive back into that pool is not especially difficult. Kadarius Toney is gone, and the team’s lot of free agency moves led complementary-type options coming in or staying put.

Unsurprisingly, this year’s top receiver prospects have heard from the Giants. The team has now met with TCU’s Quentin Johnston, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Boston College’s Zay Flowers at pre-pro-day dinners, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes (Twitter links). Johnston’s meeting occurred Thursday. The other top-four wideout in this year’s class, USC’s Jordan Addison, said the Giants were the most recent team to contact him.

Mentioning Smith-Njigba as a wideout GM Joe Schoen is doing extensive homework on, NJ.com’s Darryl Slater notes the team filled its quota of signings in this year’s unremarkable free agency class. The next step would be to take a swing at a player with a better chance of becoming a lead pass catcher.

“I think we’re better than we were,” Schoen said of the team’s receiver situation. “I think Daniel [Jones] has a better group. It goes back to: It’s not fantasy football. So to say, ‘Go get a No. 1 receiver,’ you’re only afforded what’s on the market and what’s available. So all these things sound great. But with the receiver group that was out there…”

Schoen’s voice trailing off effectively illustrated the leaguewide view of this year’s free agent receiver class. No top-25 contract at the position ended up going to a wideout, which marks a change from recent years, when the likes of Christian Kirk, Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay and Corey Davis scored such deals as UFAs. John Mara said the team might not be done in free agency, and the owner said earlier this week the team is not out on Odell Beckham Jr.

The former Giants Pro Bowler has received multiple offers, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com adds, though they have clearly not met with the mercurial talent’s approval. Attempting to pair him with Aaron Rodgers, the Jets remain the most likely Beckham destination, per Graziano, who adds OBJ may be waiting on the Rodgers deal to be finalized before he commits.

Schoen said a trade for a receiver remains in play. The Giants made a push for Jerry Jeudy before the 2022 deadline, but the Broncos want a first-round pick for their top wideout. That seems like a non-starter for the Giants, who prioritized draft capital — a third-rounder, which turned into Darren Waller — over waiting on Toney’s potential. Denver also wants a second-rounder for Courtland Sutton. Barring a big offer, the Broncos are standing pat at wide receiver.

The Giants could be a DeAndre Hopkins suitor as well; they will have competition for the Cardinals standout. The Waller move makes it a bit more difficult to envision the Giants dealing away another prime draft asset for a veteran pass catcher.

The Giants doing work on Smith-Njigba adds up, after the promising playmaker finished an abbreviated junior year. JSN broke through for 95 receptions, 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns as a sophomore, leading the Buckeyes in receiving by a substantial margin despite that squad housing 2022 first-round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. That included a monstrous 347-yard showing in that season’s Rose Bowl. Smith-Njigba, however, only played three games last season, catching just five passes. ESPN’s Todd McShay said in December Smith-Njigba had healed from his nagging hamstring injury by the Buckeyes’ semifinal game against Georgia but was protecting his draft status. That claim drew backlash from the junior wideout’s family, but his third-season no-show has undoubtedly prompted teams to examine the lengthy absence.

This year’s receiver class has not generated the buzz of recent crops, but ESPN’s Scouts Inc. rates Johnston, Addison, Smith-Njigba and Flowers as first-round talents. Johnston is coming off an MCL injury in TCU’s semifinal win over Michigan. None are viewed as top-10-level talents, though the top three here are each listed in the scouting service’s top 20 at the position. New York holds the No. 25 overall pick in next month’s draft. Mel Kiper Jr. mocks Addison to New York at 25.

The Giants, who retained Isaiah Hodgins as an RFA, re-signed Sterling Shepard and 2022 receiving leader Darius Slayton and added Parris Campbell and Jamison Crowder. Wan’Dale Robinson still represents the centerpiece here, being signed through 2025. Though, the Kentucky-developed slot player is coming off an ACL tear. There probably will not be room for this sextet to each be part of Brian Daboll‘s second roster, and how the Giants proceed early in the draft will play a major role in determining this position group’s 2023 outlook.

USC WR Jordan Addison Declares For Draft

January 21st, 2023 at 8:48pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the top wideouts in college football over the past few years has, to no surprise, set himself up to turn pro in 2023. USC’s Jordan Addison announced (on Instagram) that he is declaring for this spring’s NFL draft.

The former four-star recruit drew plenty of interest coming out of high school but began his college career at Pitt. It was there that he flashed substantial potential as a freshman, racking up 60 catches, 666 yards and four touchdowns. That set him and the team’s offense up for a significant step forward the following year.

Addison’s sophomore totals confirmed his status as one of the top players at any position in the country. He totaled 1,593 yards (the highest figure in the ACC) and 17 touchdowns (which led the NCAA) on 100 receptions. That performance helped quarterback Kenny Pickett become a Heisman finalist and go on to become the first quarterback selected in last year’s draft. They also led to Addison being named the Biletnikoff Award winner as the country’s top wideout, as well as a consensus First-Team All-American.

In the offseason, he transferred to USC to join Lincoln Riley‘s highly-touted offense and pair up with this season’s Heisman winner, Caleb Williams. Addison was limited to 11 contests as a result of an ankle injury, but still managed to put up a 59-875-8 statline. That confirmed his status as a dynamic playmaker and kept him firmly on the first-round radar as a follow-up to his substantial 2021 production.

The 2023 WR class is generally regarded more for its depth than its star power at the top of the board, but Williams should still not need to wait long to hear his name called on Day 1. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler notes (on Twitter) that the 6-0, 175-pounder has a chance to find himself in the top 20, which could easily make him the top player at the position out of this year’s crop.

Brugler is one of numerous evaluators who has Addison listed as the top wideout available, with TCU’s Quentin Johnston representing his competition for that title. Given his size, the former is likely slated to operate as a slot receiver at the NFL level, but his route-running should make him an impact player right away in the pro game. Especially if he once again finds himself with a high-end passer, Addison will be expected to put up sizeable numbers in the short- and long-term future.