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2022 NFL Draft Prospect Profile: WR Drake London, USC

USC receiver Drake London's stock has been rising in recent weeks. Could uiltimately land in the first round?

Nick Falato

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Drake London, WR

Height: 6’4
Weight: 248 lbs.
Class: Junior
School: USC
Arm length: 33”
Hand size: 9 ⅜”

A former four-star recruit out of Moorpark High School in Moorpark, California, London was the 35th wide receiver recruit and the 33rd recruit in California during the 2019 cycle.

London had a brief stint as a basketball player at USC, which shows in his football playing style. London hurt his ankle in week eight after a short catch and run for a touchdown. He wasn’t able to test and is still rehabbing the ankle injury. According to Reign of Troy (Fansided), at the beginning of March, he claimed to be about 85% healthy; he figures to be ready for the start of training camp.

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Notables

London’s ankle injury prevented him from playing the entire 2021 season, but that didn’t stop him from earning the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the year. The offense ran through London; he caught 88 of 119 targets for 1,084-yards and seven touchdowns.

He averaged 15 targets a game; London was frequently used on designed screens and quick hitters to the flat off RPO or play action. However, his release package allowed him to succeed in a quick game with slants and quick in/out routes. He also was very smooth with his comeback and curl cuts and did a wonderful job in contested catch situations while vertical.

London was the first-team All-Pac 12 in 2021 and second-team in 2020. He finished his career with the Trojans recording 160 catches (17th on USC’s career list) on 216 targets for 2,153-yards (16th all-time for USC) and 15 touchdowns.

His 68 percent catch rate in contested-catch situations in 2021 was very impressive. He was a semi-finalist for the 2021 Biletnikoff and Maxwell Award. London did not test at the NFL Scouting Combine due to his ankle rehab.

Strengths

  • Elite size and very good catch radius for the position
  • Has suddenness in and out of sharp breaks
  • Diverse release package off the line of scrimmage (although his feet could be quicker)
  • Very crisp breaks - sinks weight and explodes out - uses his feet and quick COD to have success in the short parts of the field
  • Jason Garrett would love his quick curl and comeback ability - can stop his momentum quickly and flash hands well in the short to intermediate parts of the field
  • Good route runner who shows some subtle manipulation
    • Ran a COP route near the numbers that went for 44-yards against Notre Dame (Q4, 11:24). Leaped to make wild impressive contested catch through contact
  • Excellent balance and body control near the sideline (Q2, 13:18, Notre Dame)
    • Showed deceptive YAC ability to break tackles and evade in space on the play listed above.
  • Elite ball skills
  • Hands are very soft and he isn’t a body catcher (did have 8 drops in 2021)
  • One of the better contested-catch wide receivers I have ever studied coming into the draft
  • Too many insane contested catches to list throughout his film, but especially against Washington State and Colorado
  • Uses his frame and body so well to box defenders away from the football
  • Consistently leaps with excellent body control and extends away from his frame
  • A big play waiting to happen in tight coverage (sadly)
  • Very smart route runner when extemporizing
    • Q1, 1:42, 3rd&4 Oregon State - completely ran around to get open while QB found space to hit him for a first down
    • Q2, 3:02, 3rd&3 Washington State - Turned an unsuccessful in route to a pivot outside after QB stepped into pocket and rolled in his direction for first down
  • Adaptable, smart, physical, tough
  • Creates YAC with solid elusiveness in space (not a huge strength) but will lower his shoulder for extra yards and attempt to leap over defenders who go low
  • Used frame well when asked to block on the outside
View all of Nick Falato's draft prospect profiles right here / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Can Improve

  • Didn’t truly win with athletic ability and speed on vertical routes
  • Deep speed is a serious concern that could dampen his NFL career
  • Questions about his separation quickness at the NFL are warranted
  • Showed diverse release package, but foot-speed wasn’t a noticeable strength
    • Stopped in his tracks by an outside hand jam when attempting to fire his feet (Q2, 10:13, Arizona)
  • Hands aren’t an issue, but he will suffer from concentration drops
  • Most common routes run where Gos, hitches, slants, and screens; ran some dig routes and post routes, but didn’t have the most diverse route tree
  • Wild when used as a blocker from the backside H-position, flies into contact and is easily evaded
  • Ankle injury must be evaluated

Summary

Overall, Drake London is elite in many areas; his contested catch ability, ball skills, concentration, body control before and after the catch, and is processing when routes break down are exceptional traits that make him a very desirable wide receiver. 

However, the biggest question surrounding London could hinder his NFL career--and this wouldn't be the first time this has come up--is deep speed and separation ability. Too many receivers of similar styles came into the NFL and failed to be major impact players because they couldn’t consistently create separation.

I think London is different from many of the other big-bodied “slower” receivers; London is much better in contested catch situations and his ability to quickly stop on quick-hitting routes (slants/hitches) is translatable to the NFL. I really like his game, but I maintain some reservations because of the lack of pure vertical speed. Outside of that concern, he is a true “X” type of receiver who can make huge impact plays for an offense.

GRADE: 6.5B

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Nick Falato
NICK FALATO

Nick Falato is co-host of the Big Blue Banter podcast. In addition to Giants Country, his work has appeared on SB Nation.

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