Prior to suffering a season-ending injury, USC WR Drake London was quickly setting himself apart from the competition in the 2022 NFL Draft class. While he’s no longer on the field, and likely to miss the NFL Combine, London is still one of the best receivers that’ll be on the board in April. In this 2022 scouting report, we’ll breakdown what makes Drake London so special, as well as how his skills and abilities will translate into the NFL.
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Drake London 40 Time
Had Drake London not suffered a season-ending injury in game against Arizona, I had London posting a 4.46 40 time. However, given the injury, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see him in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine. Furthermore, it’s unlikely to see him at the USC pro day, which could take place towards the end of March. With that being said, the projected 40 time that we have listed for Drake London would be on par with the league average for the receiver position.
Drake London Injury History
Drake London fractured his ankle against Arizona earlier this year, which ended his season prematurely. Additionally, it’s highly unlikely that London will be able to participate in any drills or routes throughout the pre-draft process.
However, it should be noted that Drake London was able to start all of his games in 2019 and 2020. While he’ll still be going through the recovery process at the NFL Combine, there shouldn’t be any further concerns during the medical evaluation process.
Drake London Scouting Report
Pros
- incredible Body Control On Catches Outside The Numbers To Remain Inbounds
- One Of The Most Elusive Receivers In Close Quarters In This Class
- Capable Of Running A Full Route Tree Efficiently
Cons
- Can Struggle To Create Separation On Short Yardage Routes
- Needs To Improve Ball Tracking On Intermediate And Deep Routes Downfield
- Lacks Necessary Strength To Deliver Elite Blocks In Space
Drake London is a three-year contributor for the University of Southern California Trojans. He typically plays the outside wide receiver position for the Trojans, but is capable of playing the slot position as well. He has very good height and solid weight for the wide receiver position. According to our projected 40 time, he is solid in that department as well.
London has good footwork off the line of scrimmage to create separation throughout the route stem. He has some of the best quickness and speed to accelerate upfield through pressure. His explosiveness at the top of the route to create separation is special. At 6’5, he has a very wide catch radius on balls away from his body, as well as above. Elite ability to adjust his body and stay inbounds on throws outside the numbers. He possesses solid contact balance to remain upright through traffic. He’s one of the best in terms of making defenders miss in close quarters with the ball in his hands. Once the pass is secured, he has a good second gear to get upfield quickly. He’s an intelligent route runner that does a great job of using crisp and clean routes to create separation from the defender.
Drake London shows some struggles to create separation on short yardage routes inside, such as crossing routes and slants. There are times on film where he may drop an easy catch or two per game. He’s capable of delivering blocks in space, but lacks the necessary strength to drive through defenders and maintain leverage.
Drake London NFL Draft Projection
There’s no doubt that his ankle injury impacts his draft stock. Drake London was having an incredible season and his draft stock was rising every week. Currently, I have him listed as the second-best wide receiver, 10th overall, on our 2022 NFL Draft Top 200 Big Board. However, I do believe that it will change as we really dive into the NFL Draft process. When all is said and done, I believe that drake London will still be a first round prospect.
In my opinion, I think we see Drake London come off the board in the 18-25 range in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Las Vegas Raiders are a team that makes a lot of sense as a landing spot for Drake London, as are the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs.
