Freshman to start at slot receiver
Early enrollee Addison impresses with his maturity
Chris Beatty first realized what Jordan Addison could offer back in June 2018. Beatty, now Pitt’s wide receivers coach, was then an assistant at Maryland. The Terrapins were hosting a prospect camp, and Beatty had his eyes glued on Addison, a wideout from nearby Tuscarora High School.
“He saw it,” former Tuscarora head coach Vince Ahearn said. “He saw an excellent, special athlete.”
Beatty chatted with Ahearn and expressed interest in Addison. Only Beatty thought Addison was a senior. He didn’t know Pitt’s future freshman starter was a wouldbe junior at the time. Flabbergasted, Beatty offered a scholarship on the spot, Addison’s first Division I offer of many.
Beatty, who left Maryland for Pitt in January 2019, trusted what he saw was unique at that showcase. And he has been proven right so far.
Addison has generated quite a buzz at Pitt’s South Side facility. The former fourstar recruit secured the starting slot receiver role two weeks ago, just 14 days into fall camp. Addison signed in December, enrolled in January, practiced three times in the spring before COVID- 19 shut everything down, went through July walkthroughs allowed by the NCAA and lit up the practice field in August.
Addison’s teammates have complimented his speed and maturity, but no one has gushed over the 6- foot, 170pound pass- catcher like the head coach. Pat Narduzzi has called Addison “special” every chance he gets. And last week, when asked if Addison reminds him of any wideout he’s coached or schemed against, he returned to his time as Michigan State’s defensive coordinator.
“I probably don’t even want to mention his name in the city of Pittsburgh. But there’s one guy that kicked our butt one year for Central Michigan, a guy named Antonio
Brown,” Narduzzi said. Brown, the second- most prolific receiver in Steelers history, had 10 catches for 71 yards and a touchdown in Central Michigan’s win over the Spartans in 2009. “[ Addison is] kind of built like him. He’s slippery like him.”
Addison grinned when that comparison was brought up. Then the smile went away, and the newcomer preached humility and the need to keep working. Like most freshmen, Addison isn’t too chatty. But he feels comfortable on the South Side.
Beatty is a big part of that. Whether it was for Maryland or Pitt, Beatty stayed persistent and open while recruiting Addison. Former Tuscarora assistant coach Terrell
Holliday, who went on most of Addison’s visits with him, said Beatty “went above and beyond” building a rapport with the promising wideout. Addison is a quiet kid, Holliday said, someone who values relationships forged over time.
“Everything’s been smooth,” Addison said. “Everything ( Beatty’s) told me in the recruiting process, he’s stuck to. Not many freshmen get to play, so the relationship part is a big thing. I have to be able to trust him. Wherever he tells me to line up, I want to be able to trust him that I’ll line up there and do the right things.”
Addison added that his teammates have helped him adjust to the starting role. He talks to quarterback Kenny Pickett before and after every
practice to ensure they’re on the same page. Veterans in the wide receiver room helped him learn Mark Whipple’s playbook early on, too, which Addison said he was a little worried about.
But Ahearn knew Addison would have little issue with Pitt’s scheme. The receiver not only has experience in the slot, but Addison also was “extremely perceptive” in his time at Tuscarora.
Ahearn recalls a chat with Addison and his family after the budding prospect’s
freshman season. He played half the year on junior varsity, then joined the varsity squad and started at cornerback. That winter, private schools in the area known for churning out Division I talent were interested in Addison — but his first- semester grades didn’t meet the mark.
As Ahearn and the player’s family weighed their options, Addison concentrated on every word that was said, every point that was made.
“In that conversation, he was listening the whole time,”
Ahearn said. “And he walked out of there and said, ‘ I’m going to get my grades straight.’ From that point forward, he had a 3.0 GPA or above.”
Addison never transferred to any of the private powerhouses. He stayed at Tuscarora and impressed. As a sophomore, he caught 31 passes for 445 yards and three touchdowns while starting in the secondary. Tuscarora didn’t have a legitimate quarterback option his junior year, so the coaching staff moved Addison to quarterback just to get the ball in his hands. He rushed for 659 yards and 10 touchdowns.
As a senior, after already committing to Pitt, Addison recorded 25 catches for 544 yards and eight touchdowns.
All the while, he raked in Power Five offers and interest. Notre Dame made Addison a priority target as a cornerback. Ohio State wanted him to come for a camp, with the intent to offer, Holliday said. Michigan offered late in the cycle and Maryland — with new head coach Mike Locksley — pushed for the instate prospect, as well.
But Beatty, who texted Addison constantly and popped in at Tuscarora frequently throughout the process, prevailed. Addison signed his letter of intent Dec. 19 — and 268 days later, he’s poised to make his first college start. Which his high school coaches didn’t necessarily expect this early.
“I knew he would be good. But I didn’t realize he’d be this good this soon,” Holliday said. “Not in a million years did I expect him to go in there and start as a true freshman.”