https://theathletic.com/3295753/2022/05/09/falcons-drake-london/
London’s 19 contested catches were six more than any college player last season. That would seem to be a positive, but it can and has been twisted into a commentary on his lack of speed. That line of thinking goes like this: “If he was faster, he could create separation and wouldn’t have to make so many contested catches, and if he can’t create separation, he won’t be very good in the NFL.”
Nate Tice doesn’t buy that argument. Tice, the son of former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Tice, has worked in the NFL as a coach and scout and now covers trends and pro prospects for The Athletic.
“I had no issues with his quote-unquote separation because what I was noticing was that the USC quarterbacks were terrible,” said Tice, himself a former college quarterback at Wisconsin. “So he would break his defender off and create a couple yards and then the ball is late and the defender is able to close. I didn’t see (his speed) as big a blemish as other people did.”
Tice rated London the top receiver in this year’s class.
“Going in, I thought he was just going to be a big, stiff ball-winner, Mike Williams, vertical only, catching some balls, ‘OK, cool,’ but he had more nuance to his game than I was expecting,” Tice said. “He was a much better route runner than I expected at 6-4, like not listed 6-4, he measured in at 6-4. With basketball players, I usually expect those guys to be a bit stiffer. They can jump but maybe not bend. What shocked me when I watched him, and this is what made me so high on him, was he was able to sink (his hips when changing direction), he was able to come out of his routes. He’s already a good route runner. It’s surprising to see someone at that size move like that. He’s a very fluid athlete.”
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Originally Posted by zbhargrove
