FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — Drake London signed an extension with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, keeping the former first-round pick in the fold for the foreseeable future.
It is a four-year extension that makes London one of the highest-paid receivers in the league. Emerging as the team's top receiver as a rookie, London has garnered at least 110 targets and topped 850 yards in each of his first four NFL seasons.
His best season came in 2024, when London caught 100 passes for 1,271 yards and nine touchdowns, all of which set new career marks. He was on pace to surpass those totals last season before injuries cost him five games. Still, London finished the year with 919 yards and seven touchdowns on 68 catches, and he ranked seventh among all receivers with an average of 76.6 yards per game.
"Drake London represents exactly what we're building here," General manager Ian Cunningham told atlantafalcons.com. "His work ethic, competitive drive, and team-first mindset is refreshing to witness. He's an ascending player who has earned the respect of everyone in this building through the way he prepares and performs."
London's first four seasons already have him in elite company. His 3,961 career receiving yards are the 10th-most in team history and trail only Julio Jones's 4,330 yards as the second-most ever by an Atlanta player through his first four seasons.
In his fifth, London has the opportunity to vault past some iconic names on Atlanta's all-time receiving yards list.
With 227 yards, London would move past Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez and take over the ninth spot. He is 252 yards away from Falcons great Alge Crumpler, who is in the eighth spot with 4,212 career receiving yards. Just a stone's throw away from Crumpler is wide receiver Michael Haynes, who finished his seven-year run in Atlanta with 4,220 yards. Another tight end, Jim Mitchell, gained 4,358 yards across 11 years of work with the Falcons and holds the sixth spot.
Fewer than 400 yards separate him and Mitchell, meaning London could be knocking on the door of becoming a top-5 receiver in team history early during the 2026 season. It would take another career year from him to break into the top five next season, however, as Andre Rison holds the fifth spot with 5,633 receiving yards — 1,672 more than London's current total.
Players with the most receiving yards in Falcons history
| Player | Years with Falcons | Receptions | Receiving yards | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WR Julio Jones | 2011-20 (10) | 848 | 12,896 | 60 |
| WR Roddy White | 2005-15 (11) | 808 | 10,863 | 62 |
| WR Terance Mathis | 1994-2001 (8) | 573 | 7,349 | 57 |
| WR Alfred Jenkins | 1975-83 (9) | 360 | 6,267 | 40 |
| WR Andre Rison | 1990-94 (5) | 423 | 5,633 | 56 |
| TE Jim Mitchell | 1969-79 (11) | 305 | 4,358 | 28 |
| WR Michael Haynes | 1988-97 (10) | 266 | 4,220 | 34 |
| TE Alge Crumpler | 2001-07 (7) | 316 | 4,212 | 35 |
| TE Tony Gonzalez | 2009-13 (5) | 409 | 4,187 | 35 |
| WR Drake London | 2022-25 (4) | 309 | 3,961 | 22 |
"Hearing that I am 10th in receiving yards, it means that I am in the right step," London told atlantafalcons.com. "It means that my name might be up on a wall somewhere around the facility. I want at least my last name to live on as long as it possibly can, whether that is in history books here or wherever it might be. I want to live on for as long as I can, so that shows that I am taking the right steps, the right direction, and all I can do is work harder and try to get that No. 1 spot. But Julio (Jones), he's tough to catch."
On a per-game basis, London is already in rarified air. He ranks fifth in both yards (63.9) and receptions (5) per game, and if he keeps this pace, he will continue his push up the all-time rankings.
Where London ranks in Falcons history
- 4th in yards per target (minimum 400 targets)
- 5th in yards per game
- 5th in receptions per game
- 7th in yards per reception (minimum 300 receptions)
- 8th in receptions
- 10th in receiving yards
- 13th in touchdown catches
London, who was taken with the eighth-overall pick, was the first of six wide receivers taken in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The receiver group was considered one of the top position groups in that class, featuring both strong high-end talent and overall depth. It's a class that has largely lived up to its billing, and London leads the way.
Among the six players taken in the first round of that draft, London has the most receiving yards, touchdowns, first downs and explosive plays. The only player with more yards from that class is Dallas wide receiver George Pickens, who has 4,270 yards in three more games played.
Expanding even further, it's clear that London is already one of the most productive wideouts in the entire NFL. He entered the league as a contested-catch artist, and he's maintained that ability despite the rise in the level of competition. London has the fourth-most tight-window receptions in the league since 2022, according to TruMedia.
His plays have been impactful for the Falcons as well. Of his 310 touches, 41.5% have resulted in either a first down or a touchdown, which is the eighth-best rate among wide receivers in the league. London also ranks 10th at his position in the number of first downs he's gained and his usage on third down places him 11th among NFL wideouts.
Atlanta locks in one of the league's top receivers through the 2030 season. Take a look at some of our favorite images of Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London.
Here is a full breakdown of where London ranks among the league's wide receivers.
Where London ranks among NFL receivers since 2022*
- 4th in tight window receptions
- 8th in percentage of plays that result in a first down or touchdown
- 8th in plays of 10-plus yards
- 9th in successful play rate
- 10th in receptions for a first down
- 10th in targets
- 10th in rate of tight window receptions (min. 300 receptions)
- 11th in percentage of plays that come on third down
- 11th in plays of 20-plus yards
- 14th in plays of 25-plus yards
- 14th in yards per route run
- 15th in receptions
- 15th in receiving yards
- 16th in games with 100-plus receiving yards
- 17th in explosive receptions
- T-18th in receiving touchdowns
*Rankings according to TruMedia
Part of what made the 2022 draft so interesting, particularly at wide receiver, was how difficult it was to predict which of the prospects would pan out. There were reasons to believe each prospect, a group that also included Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jameson Williams, could have a bright future. But, knowing that projection is inherent to the draft process, there were also reasons to believe some individuals in that group might not live up to their high selections.
Atlanta took the first receiver off the board in 2022, and London has lived up to every expectation, despite entering each season of his career with a different starting quarterback.
He joined the franchise and immediately produced, gaining 866 yards as a rookie, which is the second-best total — behind only Jones once again — by a first-year wide receiver in Falcons history. He's continued to improve his game and has become a figure fans and teammates alike can look to as a tone-setter on game day. A figure they can continue to look to for years to come.
