Can Drake London, Kyle Pitts Coexist in Falcons Offense?
With Calvin Ridley out of the fold for the 2022 season, Russell Gage off to Tampa Bay, and the majority of the Atlanta Falcons’ wide receiver room being on sub-$1 million deals, many anticipate the team will be in the market for a new pass catcher early on in the 2022 NFL Draft. USC’s Drake London is largely considered to be one of the top players at the position, and has been mocked to the Falcons several times throughout the offseason.
But does he fit?
At roughly 6-4, 219-pounds, London is a towering man. He was a nationally-rated basketball player coming out of high school and appeared in a handful of games at USC before deciding to focus on football in the spring of 2021.
London’s size and basketball background show up on film in a big way; he’s an elite jump-ball receiver with fantastic ball skills. He’s an absolute natural in terms of going up and getting the football, much like securing a rebound, and he can use his frame to box out defenders at the catch point.
Many have wondered how London would fare in Atlanta next to tight end Kyle Pitts, who plays fewer in-line snaps than the prototypical TE. Pitts played more snaps in the slot last year than at any other alignment. London thrived in the slot for USC in 2019 and 2020, accumulating over 1,000 yards across 14 games.
London moved outside in 2021 and had nearly 1,100 yards in just eight games before suffering a season-ending injury. Beyond just the numbers, London has the prototypical size for the X receiver position, and the variety of release packages he possesses only aids his ability to translate to the next level. He can defeat press coverage with both size and nuance, making him a very tough guy to jam.
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith’s offense stresses versatility, and Pitts and London offer two large humans who can seamlessly transition inside and outside to create mismatches. London’s physicality and toughness make him an attractive player for Smith’s offense, which is heavily centered around attacking the middle-third of the field. London is also tremendous after the catch with his power, contact balance, and fluidity.
While London doesn’t bring a huge speed element to the table, his ability to high-point the ball downfield enables him to create big plays and win downfield. By adding London, the Falcons would be well on their way to creating a basketball team of weapons, as London (6-4), Auden Tate (6-5), and Pitts (6-6) all have significant size advantages over most defensive backs.
Drake London’s size and versatility make him an easy player to project into Arthur Smith’s offense, and would provide Smith with another massive playmaker. He wouldn’t infringe on Kyle Pitts’ usage or alignment numbers, because the two can be interchangeable inside/outside and work off of each other. Thus, London makes plenty of sense for Atlanta should it choose to select London with the 8th overall pick.
