Falcons Rookie Drake London: 'Shiftier' Than Star NFL WR?

The USC rookie is garnering praise from teammates and coaches alike.

Atlanta Falcons training camp kicked off this past week and fans got to finally see some of the team’s new rookies in action for the first time.

The biggest name that people wanted to catch a glimpse of was first-round selection Drake London, who has been receiving a lot of hype from people within the NFL.

Quarterback guru Jordan Palmer, the brother of longtime Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, spoke highly of the rookie receiver.

“One hundred percent,” Palmer said to The Athletic. “I like Drake London as an NFL receiver, his catch radius, (his ability to) go up and get it. You are creating other places to throw. That guy might look covered, but he’s not covered if I throw it here. That fits really well with what Desmond did in college.”

“It’s the way that Drake plays above 7 feet off the ground, it’s wingspan, it’s also jumping ability, hand-eye coordination and his ability to adjust, those things, those are easy throws to get good at making for any quarterback,” Palmer continued. “Drake’s ability to go up and get it, to catch the ball away from his body, to catch the ball in traffic, is the first thing that jumps out to me.”

But what impression has the USC product made in the locker room so far?

Based on what fellow pass-catcher Bryan Edwards had to say, London is already a superstar in the making.

“He’s a subtle, stay-out-of-the-way type of guy, and I respect that. On the field, man, he really pops out at you,” Edwards said. “He moves really well in and out of breaks for a bigger receiver. He’s very shifty. He kind of reminds me of a shiftier version of Mike Evans down there in Tampa Bay. Much respect to that kid. I can’t wait to see him grow and blossom into the great player I know he’s going to be.”

Evans, a perennial Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, is a lofty comparison for a rookie, but if what Edwards says comes true, the Falcons have a star on their hands.