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Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterOct 18, 2024, 06:00 AM ET
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Atlanta Falcons‘ quarterback Kirk Cousins called former Super Bowl champion coach Jon Gruden before reporting to his new team’s offseason workouts in the spring. Cousins wanted to schedule some time for him and his receivers to fly down to Tampa and visit with Gruden to watch film.
Cousins also wanted Gruden’s perspective on the Falcons.
“I said, ‘Give me your deal,'” Cousins said. “The first thing he said: ‘Drake London, that guy is a bad ass.’ And that’s what you like to hear. You like to hear a coach who you respect and feel knows a lot about football saying one [thing]: bad ass.”
Over the first six weeks of the season, London has lived up to the description. The third-year player has emerged as one of the best wide receivers in the league and become perhaps the most utilized player on the Atlanta offense, due to his run-blocking prowess.
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Heading into Week 7, London is third in the league in receptions (38), eighth in receiving yards (428) and tied for second in receiving touchdowns (4). ESPN has the 2022 No. 8 draft pick ranked third in the NFL in its receiver scores metric, behind the Texans’ Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs. He’s ranked fifth in his ability to get open.
It’s not just the numbers he’s putting up, either. London said he takes more pride in opening up a hole with a block for running backs Bijan Robinson or Tyler Allgeier than making a big catch. After the Falcons’ “Monday Night Football” victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2, London was awarded with the team’s “Finisher” belt bestowed weekly by offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford for the best blocking performance. London also happened to make the game-winning catch in that game.
Falcons coach Raheem Morris said the team is looking for ways to get London some rest, because he’s the “focal point of our run game about 90% of the time” and “about 90% of our passing game.” Robinson has referred to London as an “extension of the offensive line,” and offensive coordinator said he’s been “borderline a tight end.”
“It’s a selfless act,” London said of blocking and why it’s important to him. “Catching the ball is something I’m supposed to do.”
Matt Kelley/Getty Images
London has moved around a lot more in formations this season compared to his previous two. The Falcons have used him as a Z receiver (or the flanker), playing off the line on the same side as the tight end. He’s also been in the slot.
It’s not unlike how the Los Angeles Rams used Puka Nacua last season when he set rookie records for receptions and receiving yards. Morris and most of his staff came over from the Rams, including Robinson, who was the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach with L.A. the past two years. Nacua and wide receiver Cooper Kupp had a “big influence” on the Rams’ running game, Morris said, like London has now in Atlanta.
“The original thought and the original reason is [to] give him that Puka-like role that we had in LA,” Morris said. “That was very intentional by our staff when we got here. That move was made pretty much right away.”
The comparison is apt, and London doesn’t mind it, but there are differences. London (6-foot-4) is taller than Nacua (6-2) and was a much higher-rated prospect coming out of college.
“It stems from the same offense, so naturally we’re in the same position, doing a lot of the same motions and stuff,” London said. “But at the same time, two different players. He’s a hell of a player, but there’s a difference there.”
Robinson said he actually sees London as a “combo of” Kupp and Nacua. London is like Kupp from a “route-savvy standpoint” and Nacua from an “overall toughness standpoint.”
“He is certainly a chess piece that you can move around everywhere and he can do everything,” Robinson said of London.
And that extends to his attitude, which doesn’t just include the willingness to block for teammates. Early in the season, Cousins said he made a low throw to London, who made the catch anyway. Cousins said if it were higher, London could have run for a big gain. Afterward, the quarterback went up to his receiver and said he was sorry.
“I said, ‘Terrible throw, Drake. Great catch. Good job bailing me out,'” Cousins said. “And his answer back was, ‘Kirk, we’re just building this.'”
With the Falcons sitting in first place in the NFC South at 4-2 and London emerging as a top receiver, it seems like the foundation has been laid.
