USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans wide receiver Drake London

Countdown to kickoff is back! USC will kick off its 2026 football season on August 29 when the Trojans host San Jose State at the Coliseum. In this series, we will be counting down the days until the season opener by highlighting a notable Trojan who wore each number. With 15 days to go, today we look at former USC wide receiver Drake London. Position: Wide receiver Years played at USC: 2019-2021 Career highlights: Despite entering a crowded USC receiver room featuring Michael Pittman Jr., Tyler Vaughns, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Velus Jones Jr., London earned immediate playing time as a true freshman in 2019. He finished that season with 39 catches for 567 yards and three touchdowns. In the COVID-shortened season the following year, he caught 33 passes for 502 yards and three scores in just six games. As a junior in 2021, London became the Trojans' go-to option in the passing game. He came out on fire that year and appeared to be on his way to breaking numerous USC receiving records, before suffering an ankle injury against Arizona in late October that sadly ended his season prematurely. Despite playing just 7.5 games, London racked up 88 receptions for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns. For his performance, he was named the Pac-12 offensive player of the year. After USC: Following USC's 2021 season, London declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Atlanta Falcons selected him with the eighth overall pick. After two solid seasons in his first two years in the league, London broke out in 2024, finishing the season with 100 catches for 1,271 yards and nine touchdowns. Last year, he missed several games, but still caught 68 passes for 919 yards and seven scores. London enters the 2026 season as one of the top young receivers in the NFL. In June, he signed a four-year, $141 million contract extension with Atlanta. Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion. This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC countdown to kickoff: Recalling Trojans wide receiver Drake London