Patriots hosting perfect Mac Jones weapon at top of skill group

If it’s a wide receiver the Patriots need, they can find one on the other coast in 2023 top prospect Jordan Addison.

As the 2023 NFL Draft creeps closer and closer, the New England Patriots could be inching toward a first-round wide receiver selection. In the Bill Belichick era, such a pick is practically unheard of, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

So far this offseason, the Pats have already been rumored to take Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba and TCU’s Quentin Johnston, two of the top wideout prospects on the board.

Another starry-eyed talent now joins the pool: USC’s Jordan Addison.

Last Thursday on the Rich Eisen Show, Addison said he plans to meet with New England sometimes this week. Addison didn’t say much about the impending meeting other than it was the start of his NFL teams tour ahead of the draft.

It will be Addison’s first time seeing Bill Belichick in the flesh; if he leaves a good enough impression and the two hit it off, Addison could turn into Mac Jones’ favorite target in 2023.

Patriots will host USC wideout Jordan Addison for a visit

Addison’s most ideal landing spot this season may instead be the Pittsburgh Steelers as he shares a bit of chemistry with quarterback Kenny Pickett from their college days.

It seems unlikely that the Steelers will use their first-round pick on a wideout, but the Patriots have more than enough reason to draft a weapon for Jones early.

Currently, New England’s receiving corps consists of DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, and JuJu Smith-Schuster with a tight end duo of Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. Their tight end rotation may develop into a sneaky offensive threat considering Henry’s and Gesicki’s big-bodied pass-catching traits, yet their wideout unit could use a serious high-upside piece like Addison.

Smith-Schuster poses as a key free agent signing who boasts immense YAC skills, and Addison could enter the group as Smith-Schuster’s foil in some ways — the USC product showcased his big-play ability in Pittsburgh prior to his transfer and in one season with the Trojans, when he led a competitive wideout corps with 875 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

After the NFL Combine, Addison’s stock fell ever so slightly due to his average numbers, and there’s a decent chance he’ll be available when the Pats pick at No. 14.

At this point in the offseason, Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba may have won the public’s favor as the most popular Patriots pick for his similarities to the legendary Julian Edelman, but don’t sleep on Addison.

New England isn’t exactly a hot landing spot for rookie wide receivers these days, and it’s anybody’s best guess as to which young talent can thrive alongside the temperamental Mac Jones and under the stubborn hand of Belichick. It’ll be a chaotic trifecta, that’s for sure.