Getty Drake London playing for USC during a 2019 game.
The Philadelphia Eagles’ failure to land a big-name free agent wide receiver in free agency has people convinced the team will take one early in April’s draft. They have two picks in the top-18, so there will be plenty of options if Howie Roseman decides to go in that direction.
Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson have been generating the majority of pre-draft buzz, but keep an eye on Drake London. The 6-foot-4, 219-pound target out of USC has been climbing up draft boards. NFL Media’s Peter Schrager penciled him to the Eagles at No. 15 in his latest mock draft. He actually thinks London would be a steal if he slipped down that far.
Schrager wrote: “Could the Eagles actually spend a third straight first-rounder on a wideout? Sure, why not? Nick Sirianni is an offensive coach, Howie Roseman isn’t scared to go back to the well, and Jalen Reagor hasn’t played up to expectations. Not to mention, Smith and London — two different body types — would be a nasty 1-2 punch.”
Philadelphia lands Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie at No. 18. He’s the third corner off Schrager’s board behind Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner and Derek Stingley Jr. He has Gardner going No. 4 overall to the New York Jets, adding that he might be the top prospect in the entire draft. Stingley goes No. 12 to the Minnesota Vikings.
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Big-Bodied WR with ‘Flair for Spectacular’
London looks like a prototypical NFL receiver, with unmatched size and length plus the ability to make tough, contested catches in traffic. The California native probably would be a top-10 pick if not for a late-season injury. London fractured his right ankle which caused him to miss USC’s final four games. He has been rehabbing and skipped the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, then scheduled a personal pro day on April 5 to show off his progress.
Most contested catches in college football last season
💪 Drake London – 19
Unfortunately, London had to postpone the pro day after suffering a “mild hamstring strain” (via NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport). Not great news. He’ll try again on April 15. Scouts still love his potential, though. London had 88 receptions for 1,084 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns in eight starts for the Trojans in 2021.
Bleacher Report cited his “flair for the spectacular” in a very positive scouting report:
Overall, London’s size, athleticism and route-running ability project him as a valid Day 1 X WR for NFL teams with true mismatch potential every week of the season. And he has enough polish and nuance to his game to be asked to line up across the formation given the play call that only adds to his All-Pro potential.
I saw @RealMNchiefsfan talking about Drake London. This was my favorite two catch sequence of the season. Back to back. You see everything he’s good at right here.
Brandin Cooks Signs Extension with Texans
The Houston Texans signed Brandin Cooks to a two-year contract extension on Thursday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That takes another potential trade target for the Eagles out of play. Philadelphia had been one of five teams inquiring about Cooks’ availability.
Brandin Cooks is only 28 and has 6 1,000-yard seasons, at least 1,000-yards in a season for 4 different teams, has been traded 3 times and signed 2 extensions (plus a renegotiated deal).
A really good player with a fascinating career already.
Cooks has been a steady performer over eight NFL seasons for multiple teams. He has 573 catches for 7,917 yards and 46 touchdowns while recording six 1,000-yard seasons during that timespan. Houston keeps its No. 1 receiver.
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Eagles Grab USC WR with ‘Flair for Spectacular’ in NFL Mock Draft