Falcons Assistant GM on Drafting Drake London over Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave

Atlanta Falcons’ assistant general manager Kyle Smith addressed the media on Saturday prior to Day 2 of training camp. Smith was a part of Atlanta’s staff when the team selected wide receiver Drake London 8th overall in the 2022 NFL draft.

London was the first receiver selected, and that started a chain reaction with Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Williams going in three of the next four picks. With the Falcons having their pick of the litter, so to speak, why London?

“Well, I think it's more about Drake, and it's always, as we've talked about since that day, his versatility,” said Smith. “Obviously, there are different types of sizes and skill sets and all those things. But with Drake, he can be such a focal point in terms of inserting in run game, slot receiver, out wide, play above the rim, all those different things that need his competitive nature. 

“He can be a dirty work guy, which obviously, as you're building a team, building an offense, it's not always easy, and guys like Drake can make the dirty pretty easy at times. So, that was really it. It was more about Drake than it was anybody else.”

London and Wilson are statistically the top two receivers from that star-studded class. London has one more touchdown (15 to 14), and Wilson has 207 more yards. They’ve both done this despite each receiver facing well-documented quarterback problems during their first three seasons.  

One aspect that separates the two is the impact each player makes when they aren’t targeted. 

London is also a good and willing blocker. Per Pro Football Focus, he has a 75.7 pass blocking grade, the 10th highest grade of all wide receivers regardless of snaps. 

As a receiver, London lined up in the slot on nearly 40% of his snaps, and when he did, he gained a league-leading 2.57 yards per route. PFF tracked London’s production per route run, and he was above the 60th percentile in each route. As Smith said, he is a focal point of the offense and is used in many different ways. 

Veteran left tackle Jake Matthews has been impressed with how the 24-year-old receiver attacks the game.

“Drake’s one of the more competitive people I’ve been around. He hates to lose,” Matthews said after practice on Saturday. “Man, he’s just a stud. A guy that on Sunday you can count to go out there and make plays.”

Making plays on Sundays is certainly in Drake London’s job description. In the 2024 season, he recorded 100 catches, 1,271 yards, and nine touchdowns. He was top 10 in the NFL in catches (tied 9th), touchdowns (tied 9th), and yards (4th) last season. However, London doesn’t care about the numbers and the stats; all he wants to do is be a leader for this team.

“Just be a team leader,” London replied when asked about his goals for training camp. 

Matthews added on that London hates to let his teammates down, and one of the things he admires about the receiver is that he’ll be the last one to take the credit. 

A humble, young, versatile wide receiver, Drake London provides a lot for the Falcons, from being a team leader to one of the best receivers in the National Football League. Atlanta picked up London’s fifth-year option in April, keeping him under contract with the Falcons for 2025 and 2026.

However, it’s only a matter of time before his contract extension is announced, with Garrett Wilson’s new deal as a starting point. London is the type of cornerstone player teams build around, and owner Arthur Blank will want to keep him in a Falcons uniform for a long time.