FLOWERY BRANCH -- Here’s what Drake London had to say during his virtual press conference with the Atlanta media on Thursday:
On whether he had a sense he was going to be selected by Atlanta:
“I wouldn’t say I had a good sense. I just felt like I wanted to be in Atlanta. At the end of the day, this is where I wanted to end up and I don’t even know what to say. I’m at a loss for words to be honest.”
On why he wanted to be a Falcon:
“The coaching, the direction that they’re going in, and just the type of players that they want to bring into their facility. We’re just moving in the right direction, and I just can’t wait to get out there and put on that jersey and just be a dirty bird at the end of the day.”
On what he’s looking forward to most about being an Atlanta Falcon:
“I think just the direction that we’re headed in. Like I said before, the culture that they’re trying to build and the guys that they’re trying to bring in to build that culture, whether it’s previous players that are already there or the coaches, anything like that. I think we’re moving in the right direction, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
On what he’s hoping to accomplish in his rookie year:
“I’m just trying to go out there and win as many games as possible because without winning games, what does it matter?”
On his reference at the NFL Combine to the “twin towers” with TE Kyle Pitts and what would make that come to fruition in Atlanta:
“I mean, it’s just two big dudes out there on the perimeter. I feel like it’s a pretty good analogy to say that we’re twin towers. Obviously, I have to earn my stripes in order to get on the field with him, but at the same time, if we do, I think it’s a good nickname.”
On whether he’s fully recovered from his injury:
“Yes sir.”
On what position he played in basketball growing up and how he would describe his game:
“I was a 2 or a 3, so I was a shooting guard. Pretty much just somebody who would go to the rack. I’m either dunking on you or I’m pulling threes in your face.”
On what the Falcons have communicated about his role:
“I have to get there first in order to tell you what type of role I would be in. Again, I have to earn those stripes. I have to go through what a regular rookie goes through. I’m not looking to have any handouts given to me. I’m a person who works for everything I get. That’s my mindset going in and that’s what I’m going to keep it.”
On whether he feels he can be a No. 1 receiver on this roster:
“Whatever Coach wants me to do, I’m going to do it. At the end of the day, like I said before, if we’re not winning games, then nothing else matters.”
On whether he ran the 40 at his pro day:
“No, sir.”
On whether he didn’t run the 40 due to injury or because he proved everything he needed to:
“I felt like I proved what I needed to prove, but at the same time, I didn’t have six to eight weeks to train for that. I was barely starting to run. I had four days of routes before I even went out there to go run, so I’m not going to go run a 40 without training like these other guys got to do.”
On whether the Falcons discussed him not running a 40-yard dash with him:
“No.”
On the status of his recovery currently:
“No, I wouldn’t say any limitations. The only one I would say is endurance right now. Coming off of injury, you have to start running again. Again, like I said, before my pro day I only had run like four days of straight full-speed routes. Just getting my body back into the endurance and getting that right, I would say is the only thing.”
On how he envisions fitting into coach Arthur Smith’s offense:
“Again, I’m going to go back and say whatever Coach wants me to do, that’s what I’m going to do. It’s a blessing to be at this level. I’m going to take everything I can, whether that’s on special teams, whether that’s on anything, I’m going to do what’s best for the team.”
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