WR, USC
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 210 lbs
Class: Junior
London was a two-sport athlete coming out of high school, playing both football and basketball. He was rated as a four-star prospect, earning offers from 22 schools including Oregon and Notre Dame. He committed to the Trojans, where he played both sports as a true freshman.
After a strong 2020 campaign that saw him voted Second Team All-Pac-12, London decided to focus solely on football. It paid off and he racked up an incredible 88 catches for 1,084 yards in the first eight games of 2021, before a broken ankle cut his season short.
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Strengths
London boasts some of the best hands in this year’s draft class. At 6’5″ he has a huge catch radius and is excellent at working outside his frame. His hands are active and he has no issues playing through contact at the catch point. He was often forced to react to bad ball placement during his time at USC and showed outstanding body control to make adjustments mid-route. London logged a drop rate of just 5.9% on his 170 career catchable targets.
This ability extends to contested catch situations, where London is dominant. His background as a basketball player is apparent on tape and he excels when asked to high point the football. He has the size to dominate opposing cornerbacks and was extremely successful in contested situations. He logged a 67.9% win rate in 2021 and led all FBS receivers with 19 contested receptions. This was despite playing only eight games all season.
In addition to reliable hands, London showcases the release package and route running you want in a wide receiver. He ran a fairly diverse route tree at USC and already displays some nuance to his game. He showed the ability to get off the line against press coverage thanks to good hand usage and quick feet. London is also capable of varying his route pacings and knows how to manipulate defensive backs with subtle movements. When paired with his loose hips this allows him to consistently create separation in the short to intermediate areas of the field.
London also offers some real ability after the catch. Unlike a lot of bigger receivers he has consistently demonstrated the ability to be a dynamic weapon in the open field and forced 49 missed tackles on his 160 career receptions. USC routinely used him on screens and swing passes to great effect and he averaged an impressive 5.5 yards after the catch throughout his career.
Weaknesses
The main concern with London is his long speed. He doesn’t have the second gear to consistently separate downfield. This resulted in a lot of his downfield production coming on jump balls and contested catches. This was already an issue in college and is only likely to worsen when he reaches the NFL. There may also be some worries about his ability to consistently separate and win against single coverage, something he didn’t face much by virtue of playing in the Pac-12.
London is also one of the tallest receivers in the class and this does impact his ability to sink his hips at the top of routes. This leads to more rounded cuts, particularly when approaching his break at speed. This is to be expected with bigger receivers, but it will nonetheless raise some questions about his ability to separate at the NFL level.
Bottom Line
London has an incredibly well-rounded skillset and a strong record of production. His contested catch ability will make the headlines, but he offers much more, with legitimate route running savvy and YAC ability. His lack of long speed is a slight concern, but he still projects as one of the best receiving prospects in this class.
Ideal role: Boundary receiver in a West Coast offense
Round projection: 1st round
