Should Baltimore Ravens consider Jordan Addison at pick 22?

It is clear that the Baltimore Ravens need wide receiver help. Even if they sign somebody, they are still going to want to look to the draft. One of the first questions will be whether the team should look at Jordan Addison with the 22nd overall pick.

Jordan Addison Draft Profile Baltimore Ravens

If you follow college football, you know wide receiver Jordan Addison. Addison had a strong freshman season and then won the Biletnifkoff award for the best receiver in the nation as a sophomore. The combination of Addison and Kenny Pickett connecting shot Pickett into the first round and got Jordan Addison a big NIL deal at USC. He went from 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2021 to 875 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

It was solid, but not quite the same. Still, some of that can be due to injuries, and he played about 300 fewer snaps. The NFL combine did not help answer questions.

We all knew that he was going to be a bit slimmer, but Jordan Addison was barely over 170 pounds. His 40-yard dash was average, which is surprising given his weight.

Production and athletic traits are nice, but at you have to go to the tape at the end of the day.

Jordan Addison Strenghts and Weaknesses

His 40-yard dash was not the most shocking, especially when you watch him play. He may look a bit faster than that, but he is certainly someone who looks quicker than fast on tape. He is not usually a step ahead of his man, but rather creates separation with the ball in his hands, with body positioning, and good ball tracking.

The change to USC did not help his stats, but answered a lot of questions pre-draft. He went from playing in the slot 83% as a freshman, 68% as a sophomore, and then 23% as a junior. His ability to produce on the outside this season has answered what his upside could be.

He also saw his average depth of target drop from 12.4 to 10.7. His deep ball rate dropped 8% and his screen rate rose 8%. Still, he had more yards after the catch per reception from 6.6 to 7.

He proved that he can do it all. He is good down the field tracking, and with the ball in his hands. He can line up in the slot and out wide, and can do it deep, and short.

Of course, there are questions and the first comes from his size. He can shimmy and get off of the line with his quick feet, but there are still questions about how he can handle bigger, more physically imposing cornerbacks at the line.

He is good at ball tracking, but will not win the ball fight with strength, and is just not a big receiver, so a lot of the limitations to his game stem from that. For his size, you would like to see a bit more long speed.

The overall summation of his game is that he is good number two who can do everything well, but is not going to be the elite playmaker who can take over a game at any given moment.

NFL Comparison for Jordan Addison

When looking at the list of players with similar size and athletic traits, two similar names that come to mind are Emmanuel Sanders and Jahan Dotson. Emmanuel Sanders was that number two who could do everything but did not have that extra gear of strength, size, or speed that could put him into that elite tier.

Still, he was electric with the ball in his hands, and down the field. When comparing to last years draft class, Addison probably would have been right with Jahan Dotson. Dotson stepped in as a rookie and was the perfect number two beside Terry McLaurin. This showed that a high-end number two is still worthy of a first round pick.

Should Baltimore Ravens draft Jordan Addison?

Jordan Addison is going to get drafted in the first round. The first question is whether he falls to pick 22. Considering Dotson went around pick 20 last season, this does feel like the right range for Addison. Assuming Rashad Bateman is healthy and takes a step, the two are a good fit on paper.

Bateman has the size and speed to threaten the physically imposing cornerbacks. This would put Addison in the role as the number who can bounce in and out of the slot, and create in a variety of areas. Whether Bateman hits or not, this would a sign of serious investment at wide receiver, which is something they have not done recently.

Keep an eye on the Baltimore Ravens drafting Jordan Addison if he falls to pick 22.