Londons play style and dominance on contested catches should make him a high-aDOT player immediately, making his individual opportunities high-value. How good of a prospect is Drake London? I remember that was Crabtree's deal too -- you couldn't guard him on a slant, you couldn't guard him on a fade," Doege said. MjI3MzMxNjIiLAogICAgYzc6ICJodHRwczovL3VzYy5yaXZhbHMuY29tL25l USC hasn't had a first-round NFL Draft WR since 2015, but as his scouting report reveals, Drake London has the skills to break that drought. In a draft full of first-round talent at wide receiver, one of the most physically imposing prospects is off the board first. c2NyaXB0Pgo8IS0tIEVuZCBjb21TY29yZSBUYWcgLS0+CgoK, Enjoying TrojanSports? LmpzcmRuLmNvbS9zL2NzLmpzP3A9MjI1NDYnIHR5cGU9J3RleHQvamF2YXNj Of course, this all depends on the fate of QB Matt Ryan, whose future with the franchise is in question after the Falcons made it very clear they would have preferred Deshaun Watson. Part of that, it seems, is a function of the Trojans being thin at receiver this spring due to injury, other absences and a couple freshmen not arriving until summer, and the offense as a result is using more two-tight end, 12-personnel sets with the TEs working those inside routes. The good folks over at Establish the Run (establishtherun.com) use what is called Principal Component Analysis for incoming rookies to find comparable players from past drafts. Games reviewed in 2021: Notre Dame, Stanford, Washington State and Oregon State Will Arthur Smith finally use him right ? London did not participate in any of the athletic testing at the NFL Combine, but he weighed in at 219 pounds after being listed at 210 during the season. dy5fZGlkQXN5bmNJbmplY3RHb29nbGVUYWdNYW5hZ2VyID0gdHJ1ZTsKICAg Copyright: ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. The fact that he was a two-sport athlete including playing a season of basketball while at USC only emphasizes this point. London looked poised for a monster season at USC in 2021, but a fractured ankle against Arizona ended his season on October 30. And the big Trojan definitely raised some Detroit eyebrows with one of the first answers he gave in his podium time on Wednesday. he is the premier contested-catch receiver ahead of the 2022 Draft. cmlwdCc+PC9zY3JpcHQ+CjxkaXYgY2xhc3M9J3ZpZGVvLWNvbnRhaW5lcicg Draft Year 2022. "Because you still do have Bru, he's just now coming back to practice. Drake London, USC. Even if it is marginal, the stats say Ridders first four games were more productive. We'd like to see where he's at and how he develops from an outside perspective, and Gary is obviously making some big-time strides at the other spot too. The 2022 NFL Draft does not have the top five, blue chip types that the previous years have had, but it has a handful of players who are bound to be really solid, if not very good players. Where he can improve: Poor athletic testing has definitely soured many on David Bell, but he is definitely the type of player where you can shelve many athletic concerns by seeing the way he wins on tape. We camp at least 10 times a year. Playing with Garrett Wilson meant Olaves role was simplified, but he has shown he can win in a variety of ways. Drake London teased the workout-watchers by hinting hed run the various drills on his pro day, but he ultimately decided to pass. The better assessment is he will need to rely on technique over athleticism more often than not in the NFL. His 20 offers had a heavy Pac-12 influence but contained scholarship opportunities from all the Power Five conferences. Beckham went in the top half of the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. In Weeks 13-18, he was the WR20 in fantasy, even though he failed to score a touchdown in this span. newsletter. However, the Arizona game would bring to an end Londons incredible junior season, as he was lost for the year after suffering a broken ankle. Touchdown Wire reveals NFL player comparison for Drake London Matt Zemek April 27, 2022 5:36 am PT The NFL draft is near. Crabtree was the star wide receiver at Texas Tech in 2007-08 when he tallied 231 catches for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns over two seasons before leaving as a first round NFL draft pick. London had a good rookie campaign considering his QB situation, finishing with 66 receptions for 746 yards and 4 TDs. Maybe he can run a faster time, but his decision to pass on running, despite being well enough to perform receiving drills, indicates his time would likely have been on the slower side of expectations. Drake London, USC. London skipped the USC Pro Day but will host his own Pro Day on April 15, 2022, giving his ankle as much extra time as possible. Ohio States Garrett Wilson, Arkansas Treylon Burks, Alabamas Jameson Williams, or even Ohio States Chris Olave could be the choice ahead of London for any of these teams. I believe, had London not sustained this injury, he would be the consensus WR1 of the 2022 draft class. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. My biggest passion personally is fantasy football. However, with little evidence to support that expectation, teams may prove a little wary. London currently has an expected draft position of 21.3 on Grinding the Mocks, which sources mock drafts around the interwebs. If London can become more consistent as a technical player, he would be a force to be reckoned with. The Falcons came into this draft needing just about everything, and its no surprise that they went with a receiver here. In simplest terms, this kind of analysis looks at relevant data points to find the closest comparable WRs in past drafts. I love everything about football, especially analytics and data analysis, and Im a sucker for a good spreadsheet. Perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing of Londons traits is his afore-mentioned leap. Evans finished 17th in raw target volume but 37th in target share (19.7%). Im taking the best number from either the prospects'. The NFL draft is near. Mar 2, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Southern California wide receiver Drake London. Kendre Miller, RB, TCU - 2023 NFL Draft Interview, Andrei Iosivas, WR, Princeton - 2023 NFL Draft Interview, Zebra Sports Interview - Live From The Senior Bowl. Definitely one of the greatest.. Obviously we're continuing to train him just by playing football again really and really putting his face on somebody and getting hit in the head again, so it's a process and he knows that and he's made strides every practice. He flashes an unexpected change-of-direction ability for someone so tall. I still believe he would struggle in a timing offense or a scheme that asks receivers to separate through routes. London has the ability to body any cornerback out, and his catch radius is special. However, most of his advanced metrics are solid indicators of success at the next level, including the youngest BOA in this class (stats courtesy of Playerprofiler.com): Still rehabbing from his October ankle injury, London was unable to participate in many of the NFL Combine events. London is a target vacuuming WR2 with WR1 upside in 2023. No, I'm a California resident looking for the California Consumer Privacy Act form. WebLondon was the highest volume receiver in the nation (besides Jerreth Sterns) through 8 games. That would be cool, London responded when asked about playing with St. Brown with the Lions. Factor in two return touchdowns and Williams is a big play waiting to happen. Gambling problem? His powerful running style and long speed make him an offensive weapon and NFL teams are going to want to get him the ball. My name is Scott Rinear and I live in Seattle, Washington with my wife, two daughters and golden retriever (Jasper). 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. That makes us dangerous. The Trojans will presumably have a fuller receiving corps by then. Report: Lions adding John Fox as a senior defensive consultant, Mock draft watch: PFF's latest 2-rounder attacks the secondary, Report: The Lions have a new DL coach from the college ranks, 4 questions for Lions GM Brad Holmes at the scouting combine, Lions mock offseason v3.0: Pre-combine edition, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Where he can improve: Olave rarely saw contested situations due to his play style and usage, so there are legitimate questions as to if he can win in traffic. | DRAFT TALK | NFL Draft 2023, Zebra Sports Interview Live From The Senior Bowl, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), NFL Draft Prospect Watch Trending Up/Trending Down In Week 10, Future Stars: The Best NFL Draft Prospects To Discover - Week 11. Help me out with the locker room atmosphere and all that, but at the end of the day Im just trying to get picked., Sign up for the Lions Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. dCc6CiAgICAgICAgbmV3IERhdGUoKS5nZXRUaW1lKCksZXZlbnQ6J2d0bS5q They also solidified London as a four-star prospect and the 35th-ranked wide receiver in the 2019 recruiting class. If you were going to vote on probably the most improved player through six practices, hes probably top of the list. Let us know over on Twitter@NinetynineYardsand@47yards, Video Credit: Victors Valiant & Prince Highlights on YouTube, Your email address will not be published. not only as a receiver but also as a very willing and able blocker in the run game. So you don't want to take a good player off the field either, but we have to figure out where we can manipulate and create some mismatches for Drake. Please check your email for a confirmation. Latest on Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN I prefer this to a model output which yields only a single result as it can display the possible range of outcomes for a prospect. He was a dominant alpha target in 2021 with both of those players off the team. London has no production to speak of as a rusher or returner. London possesses an insane ability to find gaps in coverage, allowing him to create space. Between McCoy, sophomore Gary Bryant Jr. and impression freshman Michael Jackson III, the Trojans have some very solid options there as is, with Colorado transfer K.D. DOB 2001-07-24 ( 21.5) Height 6' 4". Dont be fooled into thinking the USC WR is purely a jump-ball specialist. He will need to be technically perfect in the NFL to compensate for lesser speed or suddenness, but there is nothing about his track record to suggest he wont eventually be a contributor in an NFL offense. London committed to USC before his senior season at Moorpark. Ridder did fumble it three times but also finished with an even 2-2 record. His basketball background shows up Although I believe he has the skills to be considered a true WR1 at the next level, there will be some elements of his scouting report that limit his stock. SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice has been rocketing up draft boards after an exceptional 2022 season, and is in contention to be a late first-round selection. The matching features were transformed by principal component analysis (PCA). For the purpose of this matching exercise, I estimated London's 40-yard dash and vertical jump numbers at 4.6 seconds and 36 inches, respectively. Best Ball GRADE: B. ", Rae, who has missed the last two seasons due to injury: "He's done some really good things and then obviously there's some things where you're like, 'Man, this guy hasn't played football in two years.' particularly his salmon-like leap at the catch point. Silvas Matchups Austin III has sprinter speed at the wide receiver position and used it to produce two straight 1,000 yard seasons. As a result, hes able to maintain possession even through contact in traffic over the middle of the field. At present, London is the 15th overall player on the Pro Football Network Top 300 Big Board. He is a bit unconventional in the way he plays and is built as a wide receiver, but he makes it work. Drake London is a 6-4, 219-pound WR prospect with a 77.75-inch wingspan that shows on the field with a large catch radius. Thats not the only thing he can do, however, and hes managed to turn into the go-to target for the Trojans offense. Pro Football Network, LLC. Big, long possession receiver with the ability to play outside or from the slot. He dominates on 50/50 balls, making spectacular grabs (SEE: Colorado game). He earned a 4-star rating and committed to play both sports at USC. Slovis finishes impressive drive with rushing TD. Drake Londons production soared as he took on greater responsibility on the outside. WebGet instant advice on your decision to draft Drake London or Mike Evans in 2023. Here are the top five wideouts in the 2022 NFL Draft. Its understandable that London would want to ensure hes at full fitness, but the continual inability to test might raise significant question marks. Comparing current NFL draft prospects to those of years past is standard procedure in draft evaluation, though most comparisons are built on the memory recall and subjective opinion of the particular evaluator. IHRoZSBldmVyZ3JlZW4gdmVyc2lvbiBvZiBjcy5qcyBzbyB3ZSBhbHdheXMg USC star receiver Drake London announced Wednesday night that he is declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft following a prolific junior season cut short by injury. For draft position, Im using an estimate based on the mock data collected at GrindingTheMocks.com. Learn how your comment data is processed. First, I converted all the most statistically relevant stats and measurables to percentiles based on the thousands of prospects who have entered the NFL since 2006. 1. With the body control to be able to adjust and reel in balls you might consider uncatchable, London is in possession of almost all of the tools that you require to be successful at the NFL level. Which need more time? Hes more advanced than most big-bodied college wideouts who rely on size and strength to win out for contested throws. Where he can improve: Dotsons game is very much below the rim. After a disrupted summer and the uncertainty of whether the Pac-12 would play at all, the USC WR helped USC overcome a near-defeat to Arizona State with a game-winning touchdown grab in the fourth quarter. Both of those players are currently top-30 WRs in our dynasty ranks, making this an impressive feat. London is fluid and very smooth. He had benefitted greatly this season moving from his previous predominantly slot position. London notched a touchdown in each of the final five games of the 2019 season. Multiple industry mock drafts show the Falcons selecting London which would be an ideal fit for London. teased the workout-watchers by hinting hed run the various drills on his pro day, but he ultimately decided to pass. Burks can be so, so good and just needs to land with a team patient enough to bring him along. High volume and high efficiency are both possible from London in the NFL. 219. But, NFL teams are probably going to want to see some reassurance, medical and performance-wise, in order to confirm their grading. Despite interest from Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Iowa State, and Oregon, there was only one destination for the California kid. Dane Brugler has London coming off the board in the 20s in his mock draft. He could stand to put on some size, but probably shouldnt if that would compromise his speed. Calvin Austin III is next in line after the Tigers have sent Tony Pollard, Antonio Gibson and Kenneth Gainwell to the NFL. Calling him a deep threat, however, undersells his skill set. He uses this to pose an after-the-catch threat. In The Wolfs 2022 Dynasty Superflex Rookie Rankings, London and Breece Hall are in a tier of their own atop the ranks. That hasnt necessarily been an issue at the college level, helped somewhat by his usage at USC. he is the premier contested-catch receiver ahead of the 2022 Draft. There is almost no contest, it is not a 50/50 ball. With the ball in his hands, Dotson is a natural runner who can pick up big yards after the catch. Note that the analysis itself isnt telling us how good a player is; it is simply returning the most similar players. Please consider using one of our preferred browsers to enjoy an optimal experience. He has lined up outside and in the slot. Former USC Trojans wide receiver Drake London continues to impress ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. London is physical in contested-catch situations. In high school, the receiver was a two-sport athlete and was ranked as We offer recommendations from over 100 fantasy football experts! and is seen as pro-ready right now with excellent and consistent effort, work/practice ethic, and coachability. "Were down at receiver right now from a numbers standpoint, so were having to play a lot of 11 and 12 personnel. Honestly, hes probably playing the best football right now Ive ever seen him play. Did Mike Evans fall off the age cliff last year or, at the very least, begin his descent? Negatives: Had a limited route tree at USC. Oops. Its one of the things that makes the NFL Draft such a fun event. Something went wrong. In comparison, 23-year-old Ridder threw for 708 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions on 73-of-115 passing (63.5%), good for a 6.2 A/Y and 6.5 AY/Y. Hes really made a huge step up. Giving a quarterback every excuse to hang a ball up for grabs (not normally a safe play). I found the closest statistically comparable players by the Euclidean distance between the players' principle components, listed in the top 10 below. Looking for high-quality fantasy and betting content? Its going to be dangerous.". 5. So theyre having to learn three positions, whether it be the two inside positions or the tight end spot, which we call the H spot. This should not hamper him to a great degree given his strengths. Quickly compare stats, fantasy rankings and points to find out which player is a better option in your fantasy football league. That 2019 USC team included bothMichael Pittman Jr.andAmon-Ra St. Brown. The theme of contested catch ability was also noted by Lance Zierlein. Snaps with at least one press dB | NFL, 2016-2021. His efficiency metrics are the real tale of the tape, as he was 33rd in yards per route run, 35th in route win rate, and 47th in open rate (per ESPN analytics). Depot Draft Grade: 8.6 Year One Quality Starter (1st Round) Games Watched: vs Stanford (2021), vs Utah (2021), at Notre Dame (2021) Previous 2022 NFL Draft Player Profiles. He possesses a strong football I.Q. With 33 arms, London has long levers which enable him to pluck the ball effortlessly out of the sky. He ranked 22nd in raw target volume last year (117) with the fifth-highest target share (29.4%) and second-highest target per route run rate (32.4%) among wide receivers. He plays with an edge as a blocker, as well. NFL Products The game slows down for him when the ball comes out. Draft Team Atlanta Falcons. Once safely in his hands, the USC WR does a great job of securing the ball to his body. Lots of guys getting lots of reps, getting a lot better. He's a lot faster than I thought so he can really run. I use Principal Component Analysis to evaluate WR prospects. Thats just been proven over the spring, right here, right now. While London has an impressive scouting report and should be considered one of the top pass catchers in the 2022 NFL Draft, there are still some areas for concern with regard to his NFL projection. NFL Comparison: Terry McLaurin Drake London, USC, 64, 218 Pounds What he does well: Drake London looks and plays like a power forward. 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