Jordan Addison shows off smooth route-running ability at USC Pro Day

By Eric Williams
Published

LOS ANGELES — Once a steady downpour relented by mid-morning with the sun peeking through some dark clouds, soggy field conditions did not deter wide receiver Jordan Addison at USC's Pro Day on Tuesday.

"Now I'm really going to show them what I'm about," Addison said when asked about running routes in the rain. "On any surface, I'm going to get to it. It doesn't matter if it's snowing, I'm going to show them I'm willing to come out here and do whatever they want me to." 

Representatives from all 32 NFL teams were on hand as 13 Trojans prospects worked out in rain-soaked conditions. 

Addison stood on his combine numbers and limited his workout to running routes. The 5-foot-11, 173-pound receiver posted a 4.49 40 and a 34-inch vertical jump in Indianapolis. 

But Addison's production — not his measurables — is what stood out during his time in college. He earned All-Pac-12 Conference honors last season after posting 59 receptions for 875 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, even though he missed three games due to an ankle injury. 

A Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation's best receiver at Pittsburgh in 2021 before transferring to USC for his final college season, Addison is projected as a late first-round selection. The latest mock draft by FOX Sports has him going to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 22. He said he most recently heard from another team looking for a playmaker on the perimeter — the New York Giants. Other potential team fits include the Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills.

Addison compared his game to that of Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley and said that he looks forward to making the transition to the NFL. 

"Routes, in and out of his breaks, acceleration and controlling his speed — everything," Addison said about his similarities to Ridley. "I just try to model my game after him." 

While precise route running is his forte, Addison said he's been working on improving his catch radius and making contested catches over the middle of the field in the lead-up to the draft next month, showing NFL teams that he can play through contact despite his diminutive size. 

Another USC player looking to improve his draft stock is edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu. The 6-foot-3, 266-pound junior led the nation in sacks last year with 13.5. Like Addison, Tuipulotu stood on his combine numbers, but he declined to run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis and also at his pro day.

Tuipulotu told reporters he spoke with the San Francisco 49ers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Giants on Tuesday and has visits scheduled with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Ravens. Tuipulotu's cousin, former USC teammate Talanoa Hufanga, is a Pro Bowl safety for San Francisco. 

"I'm down to do whatever a team wants me to," Tuipulotu said. "If they want me to stand up, I'll stand up. If they want me to drop, I'll drop. I'll put my hand down, go inside — whatever they want me to do. I did a lot of different stuff this past season, so whatever they need me to do, I'll do." 

Another top draft prospect for the Trojans who did not work out but has received some attention nationally is Andrew Vorhees. The offensive lineman generated headlines when he posted a combine-high 38 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press just two hours after finding out he had sustained a torn ACL in his right knee during offensive line drills the day before. 

Projected as a Day 2 pick, Vorhees said he'll have surgery next week to repair the torn ligament. He said he could have put up 50 reps at 225 if he were healthy. 

"It was definitely devastating news," Vorhees said. "But life is all about how you respond to the events that happen to you — a controllable response to an uncontrollable event. I like to think I responded well, right? It was a two-hour turnaround from getting the information to going and benching and putting up a pretty good performance."

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

Photos by USC Athletics.

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