Drake London keeps climbing, and his peers in the NFL clearly noticed.
The Atlanta Falcons wide receiver landed at No. 66 in the player-voted NFL Top 100 Players list heading into the 2026 season, a jump of 31 spots from his debut at No. 97 before the 2025 campaign. For a fifth-year receiver coming off a season shortened by injury, that kind of rise says plenty about how he’s viewed around the league.
London put together 68 catches for 919 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in just 12 games, missing time with a hip injury and a sprained PCL. Even with the missed action, he was on pace to push past 1,000 yards in 2025, and Atlanta rewarded him with a four-year contract through the 2030 season worth $141 million, or $35.25 million annually. The deal includes a $100 million guarantee and can reach a maximum value of $150 million.
NFL.com’s Digital Content Producer Bobby Kownack summed up London’s rise this way:
“London has delivered 65-plus catches and 850-plus receiving yards in all four of his NFL seasons. He managed his second-best career output last year in touchdowns and receiving yards despite missing five games, as a Week 11 knee injury likely thwarted a long-awaited first Pro Bowl bid,” NFL.com’s Digital Content Producer Bobby Kownack said.
“For now, London will have to settle for his continued ascent up the NFL Top 100 in his second straight appearance on the list. His recent four-year, $141 million extension probably doesn’t hurt either.”
London’s ranking also puts him ahead of some notable names. Among the players he finished in front of are Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson at No.
69, Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love at No. 72, and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey at No. 82.
At receiver, he’s ahead of Denver Broncos’ Cortland Sutton at No. 68, Ravens’ Zay Flowers at No.
71, New England Patriots’ A.J. Brown at No. 80, and Carolina Panthers’ Tetairoa McMillan at No.
A few receivers are still ranked above him as the list continues to roll out, including Houston Texans’ Nico Collins at No. 58 and Chris Olave at No. 64.
The next step for London is simple: stay healthy and stack another big year in Atlanta. That could send him even higher in the 2027 rankings, especially with the quarterback situation still unresolved. The question remains whether Michael Penix Jr. or Tua Tagovailoa will be his starter.
London has had a different starting quarterback in every NFL season he’s played: Marcus Mariota in 2022, Desmond Ridder in 2023, Kirk Cousins in 2024, and Penix in 2025.
Atlanta opens training camp practice on July 29. The preseason begins with a home game against the Denver Broncos at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Aug. 14, and the regular season starts on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 13.
The Falcons are coming off an 8-9 season and trying to end an eight-year playoff drought under newly hired head coach Kevin Stefanski.
In Other News...
Tyler Allgeiers New Situation Will Sting Plenty Of Falcons Fans
Tyler Allgeiers departure already gave Falcons fans one more reminder of how quickly the NFL can turn over a backfield. After leaving Atlanta, Allgeier landed with Arizona on a two-year deal and looked positioned to carve out a bigger role, which made the move feel like a fresh start for a player who had spent time sharing touches in Atlanta.
Instead, the Cardinals offseason plans changed the picture in a hurry, and Allgeier now finds himself in a familiar kind of limbo as a reserve behind a younger name. He still drew enough respect to land on ESPNs All-Backup Team, a nod that says plenty about how he is viewed around the league, even if the path to meaningful carries is no longer the one many expected when he first arrived in Arizona. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Suddenly Have Real Reason To Believe In Jalon Walker
Jalon Walker gave the Falcons enough in his first season to make the next step feel less like a hope and more like a plan. The 22-year-old first-round pick flashed in run defense and showed real juice as a pass-rusher, a strong start for a player who was asked to make a major transition from college linebacker to NFL edge rusher.
Now Atlanta is looking to lean harder into what Walker can do, with Jeff Ulbrich signaling that his versatility will be used more fully this season. For a defense that needs more consistent pressure, Walkers second year carries real weight, and the early signs suggest the Falcons think a breakout is there if they put him in the right spots. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Are Closing In On A Tough Call In Thin Secondary
The Falcons are getting close to a decision in a cornerback room that does not offer much margin for error behind A.J. Terrell. Mike Hughes has remained a key part of that group even in a down year, but Atlantas lack of proven depth at the position has made his place on the roster a real point of discussion as the season approaches.
Hughes is not being talked about as a long-term answer, and that is what makes the situation tricky for Atlanta. There has been plenty of speculation about whether the Falcons should hold onto him or explore a move, but no official trade has surfaced yet, leaving the front office to weigh immediate depth against whatever value it might be able to get back. [Read more 🡒]