Drake London NFL Draft Prospect Profile and Scouting Report

NFL Prospect Profile: Drake London, WR, USC

Name: Drake London

School: USC

Year: Jr

Position: Wide Receiver

Measurables: 6’4’, 219 lbs.

 

Stats: 

 

General Info:

London is a California native, having been born in Moorpark and attending Moorpark High School.

He played football and basketball in high school, and excelled in both, catching 62 passes for 1,089 yards and 12 touchdowns on the gridiron while averaging 29.2 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists on the basketball court as a senior.

London stayed in Cali for his college education, committing to USC to play football and basketball.

The receiver was quickly thrust into the lineup for the Trojans, starting nine games as a freshman. London spent three seasons with USC and was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2021.

London suffered a fractured right ankle during his junior year from which he is now almost fully recovered.

Positional Skills:

Strengths

To put it simply, London is very good at catching the football. He has great hands and makes tough grabs look easy. His body control and ball tracking are excellent, and he has the ball skills to adjust to make difficult catches. He also excels in contested catch situations.

However, London is not just a contested-catch merchant. As a route runner, London runs a good variety and also has a crispness to his routes. His blend of speed and size helps him get on top of, separate from, and ultimately, beat his opponent.

USC also committed to getting the ball in his hands early at times and letting him make things happen after the catch. London is a run-after-catch threat due to his combination of elusiveness and physicality. He is very much a big-play threat.

He also has an attitude and that helps in the blocking side of the receiver position, which he seems to enjoy.

Another positive is that London doesn’t turn 21 until July. Despite his young age, London was a team captain at USC in his final season.

Weaknesses

The easy knock on London is that previously drafted receivers who have relied on contested catches to win have busted out in the NFL, such as Laquon Treadwell and N’Keal Harry.

This feels like an unfair comparison, as London has more to his game, but a lack of athletic testing due to his injury means questions will persist over his ability to win in different ways.

London’s release package could be questioned, as he wasn’t pressed very much in college due to his ability to overpower opponents.

A potential negative is that USC didn’t line London up in different spots during a game or even during the same season. He played primarily in the slot during his freshman and sophomore seasons and then mostly wide to the left in his junior year. London will need to show versatility at the next level to avoid becoming predictable.

Fit with the Packers:

The Packers like bigger, physical receivers who can stand up against the cold winters in Green Bay, and London fits the bill in that regard. They also favor younger prospects, especially in the first round where London will almost certainly be selected.

The question is whether they are concerned about his athleticism without any testing figures to look at.

There is nothing about London’s tape which suggests he is slow or unathletic, but Green Bay’s penchant for selecting elite athletes in the first round is well-known, and that aspect of London’s game is still something of a mystery.

If the Packers are looking for a true WR1 to replace Davante Adams, London has as good a chance as any receiver in this year’s draft of filling that role. If he makes it to pick 22, London could be a serious consideration for Green Bay.

 

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.

__________________________

Mark Oldacres is a sports writer from Birmingham, England and a Green Bay Packers fan. You can follow him on twitter at @MarkOldacres

__________________________

NFL Categories: 
1 points
 

Comments (12)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
BirdDogUni's picture

April 27, 2022 at 07:03 pm

Thankfully, he won't make it to 22.

4 points
5
1
MainePackFan's picture

April 27, 2022 at 07:18 pm

Please pass on Drake London and Treylon Burks in the first round. In my ever so humble opinion... NO!!

0 points
1
1
Thegreatreynoldo's picture

April 28, 2022 at 04:31 am

My concern is that London and Burks have ceilings similar to Kelvin Benjamin or Alshon Jeffery. Jeffery ran a 4.48 and a 6.71 three cone while Benjamin came in a 4.62 and 7.33. Jeffery at least has had a nice enough career but I am looking for better from the 22nd pick (Jeffrey was selected 45th in 2012).

4 points
4
0
Coldworld's picture

April 28, 2022 at 10:06 am

London is really a Lazard type. He might be better, but he’s not much faster (if at all, Lazard ran a 4.55 40) probably and slightly lighter. He’s more polished coming out certainly, but absent a jump in speed we already have him. I don’t see him helping us for that reason and, to be honest, I’m not all that sure why he is so highly rated.

Big men can do things against college opposition that just won’t work at the next level. One should always be extremely cautious about marginal athletes who were size and power mismatches in college. Speaking from experience (rugby) such beasts can dominate until they are facing elite players and reduced physical differentials. Suddenly they can become ordinary or worse.

If I really want a big man for the future I can get one. Just being big doesn’t mean you can’t be an athlete. Watson may come to mind, but he’s ten or so pounds lighter than London. But there’s a guy who runs a 4.4 40 at 224 pound and 6’2, a 6.88 3 cone and jumps 37’ vertically who we could probably pick up in the 6th (he may be rising a little now). I’ve mentioned him before: Dareke Young. Small school, needs polish but good hands and a lot of experience running the ball too. 9.93 RAS.

My point? If you can get that much of a better athlete that late, London’s routes and ability should be exponentially higher if you want that kind of player in the first. They aren’t. He’s more ready to play in terms of routes and releases but more limited physically. I would not touch him in the first round. He’s a slightly smaller Lazard without the experience.

If I wanted London I can probably pick up Funchess cheaper (4.48 40 at his pro day at 232 and 6’5) or draft Young later to develop behind Lazard and play on every ST unit as he has been). Yes, the London love baffles me.

2 points
2
0
greengold's picture

April 28, 2022 at 09:55 am

All too true.

0 points
0
0
Coldworld's picture

April 28, 2022 at 09:56 am

I have questions about Burks, but the ranking of London has always baffled me.

0 points
0
0
beerandbrats's picture

April 27, 2022 at 07:10 pm

6'4" You gotta like big receivers! Nice write up Mark. Unfortunately, this kid will most likely be gone well before 22. It's going to be tough to get any of the top 3-4 receivers at 22 and I'm not convinced any of these receivers are worth trading up for. Let the draft play out! Pick in place or trade down for additional 2nd round picks!

-1 points
0
1
MarkinMadison's picture

April 27, 2022 at 07:16 pm

I like him. I think he will do well. I don't see enough difference in his potential production v. others (Pickens, Burk, Pierce) to sell the farm for him.

0 points
1
1
stockholder's picture

April 27, 2022 at 08:08 pm

Tee Higgins was better.

0 points
0
0
NoNonsense's picture

April 27, 2022 at 11:35 pm

Definitely torn on London, he could be a Mike Evans type or he could be Allan Lazard or worse. Not sure he's worth 22 for me, I'd feel better about him at 28 but at that point I might just take Pickens or Watson instead. I may also look to trade down at that point, if possible.

-2 points
0
2
Turophile's picture

April 28, 2022 at 02:26 am

With that 40 time, either Rodgers will need to learn to throw a lot more contested catches (which we know he avoids) or London won't get as much action as you'd like. I don't hate on London, but I'm not sure how good a fit he is.

1 points
1
0
AshleyFuentes's picture

April 28, 2022 at 07:41 am

I admire Drake London for his ability to be a talented pass catcher with good hands, polished route running, and physicality. Everyone knows that he has been put in a position to become a potential first-round draft pick due to those attributes. I read about Drake London even on the famous https://writix.co.uk/essay-examples/an-inspector-calls since here I found writix essay examples about my favorite book "An inspector calls" that is enough renamed. Shortly, Drake London deserves to be published and admired in the most well-known publications. Crossed fingers for his further victories!

-1 points
1
2