Falcons WR Drake London Taking 'Next Step' in Leadership Role

Drake London hopes to prove again why the Atlanta Falcons made him the first wide receiver off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Jeremy Brener | Jun 12, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London isn't a rookie anymore.

While the 2022 first-round pick may not exactly be a veteran either, he has some experience under his belt. London hopes to take that experience and apply it towards becoming a leader for the team.

"I think I have to take the next step. I like to lead by example, and the next step is being more vocal," London said on "Good Morning Football". "I got my feet wet this season, I think I have a grasp of what's going on, and I think I can take it to the next level."

London came to Atlanta just over a year ago, and was immediately handed the role of the top receiver in the offense. That came with some growing pains, especially as he was usually covered by the opponent's top cornerback every week.

However, London still impressed, leading his rookie class with 72 receptions. Out of those 72 catches, 31 came in December or January, including 25 from quarterback Desmond Ridder, who is expected to be the team's starter coming into the 2023 season.

With Ridder coming into his own as a leader, London hopes to do the same as the pair look to help the Falcons qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

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Published Jun 12, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.