Getty Drake London catches the ball against Arizona in a 2021 game.
Ever since he took the NFL by storm starting in 2007 with the Detroit Lions, Calvin Johnson has been seen as a major influence for many young wide receivers thanks to his strong game that landed him in the Hall of Fame.
Johnson continues to inspire the next generation of elite young wideouts to this day, and the latest is USC pass catcher Drake London. Speaking at the NFL Combine on March 2, London explained how he emulates Johnson, a former Detroit great in terms of his own future in the league.
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“Megatron, Calvin Johnson. Definitely one of the greatest. As I grew into myself, (Tampa Bay wideout) Mike Evans for sure. Definitely somebody who I can take from his game and implement it into mine,” Jackson said when asked about his influences in a video tweet posted by Fred Greetham.
Many have been trying to connect the dots between London and the Lions already given the team’s need for a new wide receiver and the fact that Detroit already drafted a USC wideout in 2021. It certainly doesn’t hurt to hear about the appreciation London has for a true franchise legend already as it relates to possibly paving a path for him to Detroit.
London Offers Praise for Former Teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown
It isn’t just a legendary Hall of Famer from Detroit that London is impressed with. The wideout has watched from afar at what his former teammate from college in Amon-Ra St. Brown is doing, and while many others may have been shocked to see St. Brown turn it on and start dominating late in the season, London has certainly been impressed.
More than that, he is not shocked at all to see St. Brown dominating having known him as a teammate. He was asked by DetroitLions.com reporter Tim Twentyman about St. Brown and provided a very succinct answer:
I asked USC WR Drake London if he was surprised at all by former teammate and current Lions WR @amonra_stbrown’s record-breaking rookie season: “No. That’s the Sun God right there.”
“No. That’s the Sun God right there,” London told Twentyman during the event, using a nod to St. Brown’s mythical first name.
St. Brown came on strong down the stretch to look like one of the best rookie wideouts in the NFL with 912 yards and 5 touchdowns. More than that, he seemed to be the missing piece for a needy Detroit offense. While many who follow the Lions may have been stunned by this development, it’s clear those close to St. Brown were not at all.
London’s College Stats & Highlights
There is no question a healthy London himself is one of the more explosive athletes in the upcoming draft and a player worthy of consideration for the Lions in the first or second round. London had a sparkling career in college with 2,153 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in four seasons played. A look at the highlights shows an explosive down field threat who can make tough catches look easy:
London had a bad break in 2021 with an untimely midseason ankle injury, or he might very well have worked his way into the conversation to be an early pick. Perhaps the Lions can score themselves some luck and nab a player that could end up playing a huge role for their offense a bit further down the board.
If that does play out, London at the very least already has some solid Detroit ties to work with.
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