The Atlanta Falcons have one of the NFL's best contested catch receivers in Drake London, and they should be willing to use that advantage more often. The quarterback play won't exactly be stellar in 2026, so any way that London can bail these QBs out with his size is an advantage this offense needs.
London has built a reputation for making difficult catches look routine. That was on display again Thursday during Atlanta's joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts, when London beat cornerback Justin Walley for a highlight catch.
"Said it before and I'll say it again, Drake London is one of, if not, the best 1 on 1 jump ball WRs in the NFL," analyst Miles Garrett wrote on X.
There is a pretty good argument behind that statement. London is 6-foot-4 and almost 220 pounds, and has the size, catch radius, and physicality to make life miserable for defensive backs. The Falcons should lean into that
Drake London is one of the NFL's best contested-catch receivers
The 25-year-old's contested catch ability isn't some new development that showed up during one impressive practice. PFF's numbers have backed it up for years.
NFL.com previously noted that London had 40 contested catches over his first two seasons, which led the league during that span while PFF graded him as the NFL's fourth best receiver on contested targets in 2025, when he recorded a 92.4 grade on 13 contested catches.
He also showed exactly why those numbers matter during the 2025 season.
Against New England in Week 9, London went up for a 40-yard jump ball against Christian Gonzalez and came down with it. The Patriots' own game observations described him as a terrific contested-catch receiver and specifically pointed to the difficulty of defending that play.
"I think Drake's skill set is he can do many things. And one of the things he can do is elevate to get the football, or be able to play it. With his background in basketball, his body control is, I think, elite,” Will McFadden commented.
That is the type of matchup the Falcons should actively look for. If London has a cornerback isolated on him with no safety help, Atlanta doesn't necessarily need to manufacture separation every time. Sometimes the best option is simply giving No. 5 a chance to make a play.
There is an important distinction here. The Falcons shouldn't turn London into a receiver who simply runs downfield and waits for 50-50 balls. He’s not a one trick pony. He’s too complete for that. He's someone who can play the slot and has been moved around the formation these last few seasons.
If a corner is playing tight coverage, Tua Tagovailoa (or Michael Penix Jr.) can trust London to fight through contact. If the defense gives him a cushion, Atlanta can take the easier completion. If a DB gets isolated without safety help, that's when the Falcons should be willing to take a shot…
If Drake London keeps making catches like the one he made against Justin Walley on Thursday, the Atlanta Falcons will have plenty of reasons to keep giving him those chances. They need to treat him like the safety valve he's proven to be capable of becoming...
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