Predicting Falcons Rookie Outlooks: When Will Drake London Start?
If the Atlanta Falcons are going to take a step forward from a 7-10 season in 2021, they’ll need more production from their rookie class than they received last year.
General manager Terry Fontenot’s first draft class was spearheaded by first-round pick Kyle Pitts, who had the second-most productive rookie season of all time among tight ends, but the rest of the group turned in mixed results.
In all, Atlanta had 49 combined starts from its rookies. The Falcons’ 2022 draft class has been well-supported, and will aim to surpass the mark set by the 2021 group, especially from their first-round pick.
The 2022 class will be led by USC receiver Drake London, whom the team selected No. 8 overall.
London was seen as an immediate starter as soon as his name left Roger Goodell's lips given the team's wide receiver situation at the time.
London is expected to be a day-one starter for a Falcons team that is down star receiver Calvin Ridley and lost second-leading receiver Russell Gage in free agency. Should London stay healthy, it’s not a stretch to believe he can start all 17 games.
He will have Bryan Edwards and Auden Tate challenge him for that No. 1 role, but it's London's job to lose at this point.
There seems to be a fair chance that Atlanta’s 2022 rookie class can offer a more immediate impact than the previous year. Regardless, for the Falcons to get to where they want to be, they’ll need both classes to produce at a high level sooner rather than later.
