Drake London makes PFF’s 2023 All-Breakout Team

One season after selecting tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick, the Falcons went back to that same offensive well and drafted wide receiver Drake London with the No. 8 overall pick in 2022.

With Calvin Ridley suspended and eventually traded to the Jaguars, London immediately assumed the No. 1 wide receiver role in Atlanta last season. The former USC star had a solid rookie year, but it wasn’t overly impressive on paper. Stuck on a run-heavy offense with Marcus Mariota at QB didn’t do London any favors.

However, Pro Football Focus saw enough from London to include him on their All-Breakout team for the 2023 NFL season:

With all the praise and accolades going to the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson, London was actually the first receiver off the board in 2022 when the Falcons made him the eighth overall pick. Despite a very run-heavy system in Atlanta, London still put together a very strong rookie year, catching 72 passes for 866 yards and four TDs to go along with an 85.3 receiving grade. He saved his best performance for last, as his Week 18 performance saw him catch six passes for 120 yards and an 87.7 offensive grade. London is expected to be the No. 1 receiver in Atlanta and with the lack of other receiving threats around him, expect Desmond Ridder to go to him early and often in 2023. – Jim Wyman, PFF

London got off to a hot start in 2022, going for over 70 yards in his first two games, but he eventually hit a mid-year slump. As previously mentioned, this was in large part due to the offense being inefficient and one-dimensional.

However, things picked up for London when Desmond Ridder replaced Mariota as the team’s starting quarterback for the final four weeks of the season. With Kyle Pitts sidelined due to a knee injury, Ridder went on to develop good chemistry with London.

The Falcons will need that chemistry to carry over into 2023 as a fast start will be crucial if the team hopes to end its five-year playoff drought.