After breaking down the film, Blewett’s Blitz thinks Drake London is the best wide receiver in the 2022 NFL draft. Do the New York Jets agree?
Garrett Wilson, Treylon Burks or Drake London? Which of these three players is the best wide receiver in the 2022 NFL draft? Blewett’s Blitz has dug deep into each of the top weapons and has the answer: The kid with a famous overseas city for a name.
USC product Drake London is the best wideout in the pool and the New York Jets have surely taken notice. But is London worthy of the No. 10 pick?
This is the major question that needs an answer.
The full Drake London film breakdown can be seen at the bottom of this article.
Assuming you’ve watched the Treylon Burks review, you already know that I do not feel he is a realistic—or, at the very least—a smart option with the 10th pick.
Is Drake London deserving? Is he only a vertical/jump ball threat or is he much more? Does he fit Mike LaFleur’s system? Is he the best wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft?
Let’s dive into all of these topics and much more in this edition of Blewett’s Blitz (the full film breakdown is at the bottom of this article).
YouTube clip and podcast
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Size at 6-foot-3.5
- Tracks ball well
- Strong hands
- Great YAC ability for size
- Body control
- Vertical
- Uses size in routes
- 50/50 balls
- Length
- Adjustment to ball mid-air
- Catches ball outside of frame
- Variety of releases from short stride, get evens, stretch, shuffle, split, skip, squirt, two-step and hop
- Separation for size
- Catch radius
- Smart
- Not afraid of contact
- Quick for size
- Route breaks
- Overall route running
- Finds soft spot in zones
- Makes himself available on scramble drills
- Stems well on vertical stems vs off coverage
- Hand usage in routes
- Shortens strides before breaks
- Attacks blind spots
- Late hands to ball
- Uses physicality before jump ball
- Throw bys in routes
- Can play inside and out
- Red zone weapon
- Balance for size
- Physicality after catch
- Ability to get out of breaks for size
- Sideline awarenees
- Gets over drive-step well
- Altered route pacing
- Uses rocker steps in routes
- Much more than a vertical/ “jump ball” WR
Weaknesses
- Below-average speed
- Size naturally limits some change of direction
- Lateral quickness
- Could attack ball more consistently when working back to it
- Can lean out of some breaks
- Needs to consistently commit to breaks
- Some drops show up
- More urgency in drive phase
- Can depend too much on physicality vs press
- Breaks can have some dead time
- Some wasted movement off snap
- Potential to be great run blocker but can see him duck head, not close ground and not run feet
- Needs to sell drive phase more consistently
- Selling of double moves
- Needs to have more control of upper body on breaks
- High hipped (hurts blocking and breaks)
- Can lean before breaks
- Bows routes out too often
