It is clear that London will contend to be the first WR taken. 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. Tracks the pass in the air, gets vertical, and high-points the ball over defenders. He still ended up leading the nation in contested catches despite missing the end of the year, but he probably would have been near the top in uncontested catches as well. L3d3dy5nb29nbGV0YWdtYW5hZ2VyLmNvbS9ndG0uanM/aWQ9JytpK2RsKycm London committed to USC before his senior season at Moorpark. "I tell Graham this all the time, and obviously Graham and I are the only ones who can really relate to this because we've seen it in person, but Drake London really reminds me of Michael Crabtree when he's on the outside. Will Arthur Smith finally use him right ? KCJzY3JpcHQiKVswXTsgcy5hc3luYyA9IHRydWU7CiAgICAvLyBsb2FkaW5n This all hinges on how these NFL teams view the top end of this WR class. 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. During his USC career, the impressive WR prospect has also demonstrated great ball-tracking ability. 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. InNjcmlwdCIpLCBlbCA9IGRvY3VtZW50LmdldEVsZW1lbnRzQnlUYWdOYW1l London is likely to be one of the first wideouts taken in the first Our biggest passion as a family is camping. eTpoaWRkZW4nIHdpZHRoPScwJz48L2lmcmFtZT4KPC9ub3NjcmlwdD4KCgo=, PGRpdiBjbGFzcz0ncmEtY29udGFpbmVyIGRpc3Ryb19hZCc+CjxkaXYgY2xh Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports. This is an extremely successful set of comparable players. Weight 213. USCs quarterbacks consistently made catches harder for London than they should be, but somehow London still ended up making them look good. London lacks desired top-end speed and separation quickness to open clear throwing windows but plays a mature, savvy brand of ball. Did Mike Evans fall off the age cliff last year or, at the very least, begin his descent? 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. Draft Team Atlanta Falcons. DFS Optimizer LmpzcmRuLmNvbS9zL2NzLmpzP3A9MjI1NDYnIHR5cGU9J3RleHQvamF2YXNj 250+ three-page scouting profiles - advanced stats, 3-year grades, player comps, combine data and Senior Bowl grades - for the 2023 draft class. The 3.74 adjusted yards per play mark for London is tops in the 2022 class, while his 3.26 receiving yards per team pass attempt ranks sixth. Lacks a burst and deep speed. 1. Where he can improve: London is a really solid route runner, but leaned more on winning with his physical gifts. Wide receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft dont come much freakier than USC WR Drake London. He is agile and explosive before and after the catch. For draft position, Im using an estimate based on the mock data collected at, for NFL and draft position for wide receivers: weight, 40-yard dash time and vertical jump. For him to come up on the scene at the end was definitely something that he had to prove himself, and Im happy he did.. Lots of guys getting lots of reps, getting a lot better. While he has the size and skill to dominate the catch phase, his one-speed route-running and lack of separation burst means a career full of contested catches. 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. The above-the-rim style London plays definitely calls to mind both Johnson and Evans. We feel really good about EK. A draft class that is top-heavy with WR talent without a slam dunk WR1. His continued recovery process will need to be monitored. Even if it is marginal, the stats say Ridders first four games were more productive. Snaps with at least one press dB | NFL, 2016-2021. Depending on who you ask, multiple WRs are projected to be the first pass-catcher taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. We create NFL fantasy, DFS and betting content year round. Being 58 on a good day will concern many NFL teams. I feel really good about the room and where were going, and well find two guys that can do it, for sure. We offer recommendations from over 100 fantasy football experts! For a receiver of this size, Drake London is still a fluid mover on the field with the ability change direction with relative ease. Gambling problem? I found the closest statistically comparable players by the Euclidean distance between the players' principle components, listed in the top 10 below. I am a proud member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA). You don't currently have any notifications, Get custom advice with our Draft Assistant. Definitely one of the greatest.. Redshirt sophomore Bru McCoy, who is ticketed for one of those outside WR spots, is expected to join spring practice this week after being unavailable the first two weeks due to health protocols. However, if the Falcons dont take London, he would have to make it through past the Jets (10), Eagles (15 and 18), Saints (16 and 19), and Patriots (21) to fall to the Packers at 22nd overall. London gave a glimpse into his 2023 upside down the stretch last season. London is going anywhere from the first to third overall WR taken in mock drafts. Possesses a sense of timing, comes back to the ball to make himself an available target, and gives effort after the catch. He possesses a strong football I.Q. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. His highlight reel will already stand him in good stead. WebThe official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more. The following are the teams likely to select a first-round WR, in the order of where they pick in the first round: There is a good chance the Falcons will take a WR with the 8th pick, but which WR will it be? Selection 8. 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. What he does well: Chris Olave was a prolific deep threat at Ohio State due to his easy acceleration, game breaking second gear and tremendous ball skills. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports. And it's really hard to guard Drake London when he's outside running a slant or fade right now. Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) March 3, 2022. We camp at least 10 times a year. Drake London is 64, 220 ish with a basketball background. This points to London being above average in contested catches at the NFL level. Were getting ahead of ourselves a little. My biggest passion personally is fantasy football. Evans finished 17th in raw target volume but 37th in target share (19.7%). We can do everything we want to do out of 10 personnel with 12. Something went wrong. So hes definitely been in my ear, helping me through this process. 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. In a draft full of first-round talent at wide receiver, one of the most physically imposing prospects is off the board first. Call him Frankenstein. Ridder did fumble it three times but also finished with an even 2-2 record. The following chart (via ETR) shows Londons closest comparable WRs from past drafts: As you can see, based on this type of analysis, London is in good company with the two closest comps being Mike Evans and Titans WR A.J. ICAgIGo9ZC5jcmVhdGVFbGVtZW50KHMpLGRsPWwhPSdkYXRhTGF5ZXInPycm Nixon and ultimately Memphis transfer Tahj Washington (who has not formally joined USC yet) as options in the slot along with junior John Jackson III. which was unfortunately cut short by injury on Halloween. Staying on the field has been an issue for London at USC, suiting up for 22 of a possible 31 games through three seasons with the Trojans. He uses this to pose an after-the-catch threat. While some athleticism concerns are noted, one AFC area scout does not seem too concerned (from the Zierlein report). Copyright 2010- FantasyPros.com London was a top-flight basketball player, so angles to the ball, body positioning, and high-pointing come very naturally to him, turning a 50-50 ball into a 70-30 advantage. That 2019 USC team included bothMichael Pittman Jr.andAmon-Ra St. Brown. Drake Londons first advantage at wide receiver is obvious whenever he sets foot on the field. - 2018 PrepStar All-American and All-Camino League Co-Wide Receiver of the Year as a senior. Unfortunately, in the middle of his 2021 season when he was absolutely flying for USC, Drake London fractured his right ankle versus the Arizona Wildcats. Drake London is a physically imposing receiver. ", 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.' Well, "new" as defined by a number that hasnt been worn in about 50 years. He is a dominant figure for the opposing secondary to attempt to bring to the ground. Note that the analysis itself isnt telling us how good a player is; it is simply returning the most similar players. In Weeks 13-18, he was the WR20 in fantasy, even though he failed to score a touchdown in this span. And it's not unnatural to him, as he was strictly an outside receiver in high school. Where he can improve: Williams is lanky at 61 and may struggle with more physical coverage. A former basketball player, Londons adept at getting above the rim to secure the ball in unlikely spots. And then when he gets out and runs, man, it's fast. In seeing London in person in Indianapolis, hes not built anything like either Evans or Johnson in terms of leg girth or upper-body muscle, either. London has the ability to body any cornerback out, and his catch radius is special. That hasnt necessarily been an issue at the college level, helped somewhat by his usage at USC. Watch the video below which shows Drake Londons ball skills and yards after the cqtch ability. Analysis: London was a terrific receiver for USC the past three seasons and is a natural pass catcher who projects well to the next level. His has blinding speed from the jump and can somehow hit a second gear to gain late separation against coverage and run away from defenses. He demonstrates an ability to use his size to bring physicality to his game. What he does well: Christian Watsons athleticism is incredibly surprising given his size. Boulder, Colorado, USA; USC Trojans wide receiver Drake London (15) and running back Vavae Malepeai (6) celebrate a score in the second half against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. He dominates on 50/50 balls, making spectacular grabs (SEE: Colorado game). Overall, some will have concern with his lack of top speed, but he reminds me ofMike Williamscoming out of Clemson. However, he did run different catching drills. Fast for his size, Londons top-end speed, and burst are not elite and his release off the line of scrimmage is hindered by a relatively upright pre-snap stance. Drake London. 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. to prior years and pick out the most similar comps with a clearly delineated and quantifiable method. There is almost no contest, it is not a 50/50 ball. 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. Not content with a one-sport relationship, he played basketball in the winter for the Trojans. Your account has an invalid email address. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! It really can come down to fit and preference. Sign up for FantasyData's newsletter and get awesome content sent to your inbox. As mentioned, he is able to create separation using his knowledge of the game and to contest catches using his size. He has great The fact that hes been forced to push back his pro day performance may be unsettling for NFL teams. Despite protestations to the contrary, the 2022 NFL Draft wide receiver class boasts not only top-end talent but impressive depth throughout the three days of the NFLs annual selection event. Up through the ankle injury, London was averaging 11.0 receptions, 135.5 receiving yards, 0.88 TDs per game, and 3.26 receiving yards per team pass attempt, the best mark of his college career. However, that isnt the limit of the physicality in his game. The comps below were derived from a two-step process. For a big receiver, he could be so much more physical at the catch point and could generally improve his ball skills. And who will be his QB? WebLondon was the highest volume receiver in the nation (besides Jerreth Sterns) through 8 games. I love everything about football, especially analytics and data analysis, and Im a sucker for a good spreadsheet. Megatron, Calvin Johnson, London said without skipping a beat. He also snagged 11 touchdowns while demonstrating his versatility and athletic prowess with a 14-yard touchdown pass. More than being an impressive athlete, Pickens is a fearless player on the field. London understands how to use his big body to shield off defenders before attacking the ball. He does not shy away from contact and, more often than not, will beat up on defensive backs. He could be an outstanding red-zone weapon and a nightmare match up for cornerbacks to compete with. Smart, knows where he is on the field, and plays like a good athlete. He was a dominant alpha target in 2021 with both of those players off the team. He is locked in as a top three dynasty rookie pick in all formats. Should he end up a hit, London would provide value for a long time in dynasty leagues. However, Drake London had grown up in a USC-supporting family and he was fulfilling a dream to become a Trojan. London is physical in contested-catch situations. particularly his salmon-like leap at the catch point. London looked poised for a monster season at USC in 2021, but a fractured ankle against Arizona ended his season on October 30. Ninety-Nine Yards launched in 2018 and covers all aspects of the American football. This maintains the intrigue surrounding how London will perform in the official speed and athleticism metrics, although we may already have our answer regarding his athleticism: 2019 Drake London with the bunnies Add a dunk contest to the combine @NFL pic.twitter.com/32G3B01XSi. dCc6CiAgICAgICAgbmV3IERhdGUoKS5nZXRUaW1lKCksZXZlbnQ6J2d0bS5q Hes quite a bit lighter than either Johnson or Evans, however; London checks in at 209 pounds, whereas Evans was 231 and Johnson weighed in at 239. During his high school days at Moorpark, he was noted as a talented basketball player and this dual sport background can be seen in his athletic ability. College football is on a historic run of wide receiver classes. London possesses a vast array of skills as a receiver, but he is not straight-line quick. Barring something unforeseen, London is a locked and loaded first-round pick, potentially as a top 10 selection. Are you looking to contact Customer Support about a subscription or account related question? Once safely in his hands, the USC WR does a great job of securing the ball to his body. The USC wide receiver said he will only be participating in interviews this week and not working out. He would immediately step in as the teams WR1, and his presence would be beneficial to Falcons TE Kyle Pitts by attracting attention away from the stud TE. The Bucks County native could reunite with Sean Desai in Philly. 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Megatron, Calvin Johnson, London said without skipping a beat three times but also finished with even. Do everything we want to do out of Clemson do everything we want to out.

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