The Minnesota Vikings’ pick of wide receiver Jordan Addison in the 2023 NFL Draft was met with significant fanfare.
Addison was successful during his college career and also received some significant Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals from companies like United Airlines.
Now that Addison is in the NFL, expect that popularity to carry over.
In their annual 2023 Rising Stars list, the NFLPA named Addison as one of their rookie Rising Stars.
According to the NFLPA, rookies included on this list are “expected to make a breakthrough in NFL player product sales.” The rankings consider different factors, including the support from a team’s fanbase.
“The rankings consider various factors that contribute to early sales popularity,” a press release from the NFLPA writes. “These factors include on-field performance, early demand for content and marketing from NFLPA partners, fantasy league status, collegiate name, image and likeness deals, the players’ existing reach to a massive audience of fans, participation in Rookie Premiere, product submissions from over 90 NFLPA licensees, support from team fan bases, and emerging talent in strong markets”
Addison’s inclusion shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Wide receivers tend to be among the most popular positions on the field, and Minnesota is a large enough market to make a massive impact on jersey sales.