Former USC WR Drake London holds personal pro day, but doesn't run 40
Drake London was finally on a practice field Friday in front of NFL scouts to showcase his recovery from a mid-season ankle fracture, but he did not run the 40-yard dash.
The former USC wideout and potential top-10 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft participated in a handful of cone drills and situational passing routes, but did not do perhaps the one thing scouts on hand were most curious about. London’s workout was originally scheduled for April 5 but pushed after he tweaked his hamstring the weekend prior.
London told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine (where he interviewed and took measurements, but didn’t participate in on-field drills) that he had only started running a week prior to the Combine. The recovery process, he said Friday, was painful but his body now “feels better, stronger, faster.”
According to team reporter Keely Eure, London worked out in front of scouts from the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Washington Commanders, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texas, and Tennessee Titans. ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti reported that Detroit’s senior personnel executive, John Dorsey, was personally in attendance. Detroit has three picks among the first 34, including the second overall and 32nd overall.
Here’s more from London’s pro day:
Hello from Drake London’s Pro Day 👋🏼 The wide receiver looks pretty good for having broken his ankle months ago: pic.twitter.com/JM6R8Kgp1e
— Keely Eure (@keelyismyname) April 15, 2022
— Antonio Morales (@AntonioCMorales) April 15, 2022
Drake London running routes at pro day. No 40 after he broke his ankle last season pic.twitter.com/V3w3bCTYiC
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) April 15, 2022
Questioned on the day, London told reporters that he just wanted to show scouts that his recovery has gone well. If there are questions about his speed, he says to turn on his tape; it’ll show he doesn’t need speed to beat his man to a ball, he said.
Drake London on his day: “Honestly at the end of the day, I was just trying to complete the workout, trying to showcase that I’m back to where I’m at, if not even better.”
London is coming off an ankle fracture and said he didn’t start running again till a week prior to combine.
— Antonio Morales (@AntonioCMorales) April 15, 2022
USC NFL prospect Drake London on questions about his speed: "Watch film, pretty much. At the end of the day, just watch film. Don’t really have to blow by guys to catch a ball. I can at the end of the day, but I really don’t have to."
— Adam Grosbard (@AdamGrosbard) April 15, 2022
A fractured ankle suffered against Arizona on Oct. 30 forced London to miss the final third of USC’s season, and yet he still finished as the Pac-12’s leader in receptions, yardage, 20-plus-yard receptions, and contested catches (per PFF). At the rate London was going before his injury, he would have ended a full season ranked second nationally in receptions and third in yardage.
London also led the country in contested catches, per PFF, registering 19 in eight games. He was on pace for 28; no one else in the country had more than 16.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has London mocked to the New York Jets with the 10th pick in the upcoming draft. The first round begins on Thursday, April 28, at 5 p.m. PT.