ESPN’s Todd McShay Gives Vikings a WR in Latest Mock Draft
Josh Frey
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The NFL Draft is fast approaching (the NFL scouting combine is now less than two weeks away!), and mock drafts continue to come in at a rapid pace. ESPN’s Todd McShay released his latest mock draft on Wednesday, and in it, he has the Vikings taking a wide receiver in the first round. That wide receiver is USC product Jordan Addison.
Addison is one of the premier wide receiver prospects in this draft class, and in our Vikings Draft Thermometer series, I projected that he would be taken somewhere in the middle of the first round.
Here is what McShay had to say of the Vikings selection of Addison:
Adam Thielen is entering his age-33 season, so Minnesota could take the best player available here and get a speedy, instinctive running mate for Justin Jefferson. Addison was just shy of 1,600 receiving yards in 2021 at Pitt before transferring to USC and picking up another 875 yards and eight scores. He has versatility to line up outside or in the slot.
For those wondering why the Vikings would sidestep their defensive needs — they allowed 5.9 yards per play in 2022, third highest in the NFL — it really comes down to the board. Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson or Arkansas linebacker Drew Sanders might fit, but this is still early for both. Remember, free agency still lies ahead”
The ESPN analyst brings up a couple important points here. Firstly, Adam Thielen is getting older, and we also have to keep in mind that he is set to carry a cap hit of nearly $20 million in 2023. It may be time for the Vikings to look elsewhere for their WR2 duties.
Additionally, if anyone out there thinks the Vikings absolutely have to draft a defensive player in the first round, that’s not necessarily the case right now. We still have to get through free agency before we determine what the Vikings truly need in the draft.
Regardless, if Addison is available at No. 23 (technically No. 24, but the Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick for tampering), he is a very intriguing player to pair with Justin Jefferson. He is an extremely smooth route runner, and despite being a bit undersized at 6’0 and 175 pounds, the success that Devonta Smith has seen at the NFL level should make that less of a concern than it may have been in years past.
The 2023 NFL Draft is still a couple months away, getting started on April 27th with the first round. Currently, the Vikings hold four picks and are projected to get another compensatory pick that likely will land in the fifth round.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.