Drake London vs. Clark Phillips: Falcons Pac-12 'Rivalry'?
Although it's still early in training camp, the Atlanta Falcons are already witnessing flashes of potential from members of their 2023 draft class.
For instance, during a drill in Thursday's practice, the 5-10 rookie cornerback, Clark Phillips III, who was drafted in the fourth round, impressed by keeping up with 6-5 receiver Drake London on his route and making an interception over the second-year wideout.
Despite this being their first year facing off in practice, London and Phillips have a history together from their days in the Pac-12 when London was at USC, and Phillips played for Utah. They had two matchups, with London winning the first one 33-17 in 2020. Although USC lost the second game 42-26 in 2021, London's performance still caused trouble for Phillips, as he caught 16 passes for 162 yards and one touchdown.
However, despite the rivalry between their colleges, London assures that there's no bad blood between the two professionals.
"I wouldn't call it a rivalry at all. We're just competing and getting better," London said.
Coach Arthur Smith was also impressed with how his players competitively handled the situation.
"Clark [Phillips] didn't back down," Smith said. "And that's good to see. Those are the kind of guys you want."
Smith and the rest of the Falcons organization should be thrilled that players from their recent draft class aren't backing down from stiff competition as they aim to leave their mark on the team. Impressive plays like the one Phillips had today could potentially pave the way for a prominent role for the Utah product this season.
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