The Falcons were desperate for wide receiver help at the 2022 NFL Draft. They entered the event with Olamide Zaccheaus, Damiere Byrd and Auden Tate as the top three receivers on their depth chart, so they were expected to target a pass catcher with the eighth overall pick.
Indeed, they did pick a receiver at that spot. It just wasn't the player many thought they would select.
The Falcons took Drake London at No. 8 on Thursday. The USC star was expected to be a first-round pick but wasn't widely projected to be a top-10 selection. Most believed that Ohio State's Garrett Wilson or Alabama's Jameson Williams would come off the board ahead of him.
But Atlanta decided that London would be the best fit. Here's why they might have preferred to add him.
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Why Drake London was the No. 1 WR taken in the 2022 NFL Draft
While Wilson, Williams and Chris Olave got more attention than London in the predraft process, there is a reason for that. London suffered a right ankle fracture in USC's win over Arizona in late October. The injury prematurely ended his season and cost him time during the offseason.
London was unable to participate in the NFL Combine as he recovered. He worked out at his pro day but chose not to run the 40-yard dash. That allowed other receivers to gain more attention, at least publicly.
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So it seemed as if Wilson, Williams and Olave were rated higher than London. But NFL teams still considered London to be one of the top receivers in this year's draft. He was just as productive as those other prospects; he logged 88 catches for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games for USC last season.
Additionally, London has something that those other top receivers lack: elite size. He is 6-4, while none of the other receivers are bigger than 6-1 1/2 (Williams). London was a great at making contested catches in college, so the Falcons may look to turn him into a similar mismatch weapon. And, as London noted, the Falcons already have a weapon like that in Kyle Pitts.
"I think just playmaking ability," London told NFL Network, when asked what he could bring to the Falcons. "I mean, especially with Kyle Pitts over there. It's Twin Towers."
Pitts is 6-6 and 247 pounds, so asking teams to guard him and London will certainly be tough. The Falcons also have Auden Tate (6-5, 228 pounds) in the mix, so it seems that Atlanta is putting an emphasis on size in their receiving corps.
