Drake London
A towering wide receiver who transitioned from college basketball star to become the Atlanta Falcons' most promising offensive weapon.
Born 2001 (age 25)·American football player·Birthday: July 24·Generation Z
Biography
Drake London's path to the NFL was anything but standard. At the University of Southern California, he was a dual-sport athlete, showcasing his athleticism on the basketball court for the Trojans before fully committing to football. That basketball background is evident in his play; at 6'4", he plays the wide receiver position with a rebounder's mentality, using his size, wingspan, and elite body control to win contested catches in traffic. The Atlanta Falcons saw a unique weapon and selected him with the 8th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, making him the first wide receiver taken that year. From his first season, he established himself as a reliable target, quickly becoming a cornerstone for the Falcons' rebuilding offense. His blend of size, agility, and sure hands suggests he is just beginning to tap into his potential as a dominant force in the league.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Drake was born in 2001, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Drake Was Born
The biggest hits of 2001
#1 Movie
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Best Picture
A Beautiful Mind
#1 TV Show
Survivor
Drake's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2001Born
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2006Started school
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2014Became a teenager
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Could drive
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2019Could vote
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2022Turned 21
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 25 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected 8th overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 NFL Draft, the first wide receiver chosen.
- Won the 2021 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year award at USC.
- Set the Atlanta Falcons franchise record for receptions by a rookie (72 in 2022).
Did You Know?
He played both basketball and football at the University of Southern California before focusing solely on football ahead of his junior year.
In high school, he was a standout in football, basketball, and track and field.
His father, Dwan London, played college football at Oregon State.
“My basketball background helps me high-point the ball and use my body to shield defenders.”
