Drake London Injury Overview
Drake London is an elite WR prospect coming out of the University of Southern California. London comes in at 6’5″ and 200+ lbs, and he uses his frame to dominate his opponents at the point of attack with the ball is in the air. Unfortunately, he suffered a right ankle fracture on October 30th, 2021, of his junior season at USC. Before his injury, London was having a notable season in 88 receptions, 1,084 yards, and seven touchdowns throughout eight games. London, who will be 21 in July 2022, is expected to go in the first round of the NFL draft in April, and fantasy managers are becoming more inclined to follow suit in dynasty rookie drafts. So the question becomes: “Does the ankle fracture scare you away from drafting London?”
Description of Ankle Fracture
An ankle fracture can be one of the scariest injuries to watch in sports. An ankle fracture occurs when the lower portion of the tibia and fibula (the lower leg bones) is fractured. The talus, the boney part of the ankle that is in contact with the tibia and fibula, can also be broken. Due to the instability of the ankle joint secondary to the broken bones, the ankle joint can also become dislocated when this injury occurs (yes, I know this sounds terrible.) Thankfully for London, reports indicate that only injury to the bone, assumed tibia and fibula, occurred. The ankle is such an essential joint in the sports world due to supporting the whole body’s weight as the athlete runs, jumps, and cuts. Attached below is the video of London’s injury. The injury is not gruesome in this video, so you do not have to be wary if you have a weak stomach.
History and Literature Review
The notable history of top-level athletes that have suffered from this injury includes Dak Prescott, Paul George, Gordon Heyward, DJ Chark, and Kenyan Drake. Outside DJ Chark and Kenyan Drake, who sustained injuries in 2021 and are also looking to make a comeback for the 2022 season, all athletes mentioned above have dominantly returned to their respective sports. Although an ankle fracture is a terrifying sight to see, the history of athletes returning to sport after this injury and the literature both show that athletes do well in returning to their prior level of play. A systematic review with meta-analysis report was posted in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy that said, “Adults typically experience a rapid initial recovery of physical function after ankle fracture (approximately 80% function at six months).” Based on this information, even if Drake London were not an elite WR prospect, he would be 80% back to his prior level of function by the NFL draft in April. Luckily for us, he is an elite prospect, and the #1 indicator for playing at a high level following injury is a previous history of a high level of function.
Reports
Reports surrounding London have been optimistic. NFL Draft Analyst Matt Miller reported that no ligament damage occurred in conjunction with the boney injury. No ligament damage is vital because bones heal quicker than ligaments, reducing his recovery timetable. Additionally, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reported that London is expected to show off his talent in the form of positional drills at his pro-day, which will be held on April 5th. However, there is speculation that he will not participate in the 40-yard dash. If London was not close to 100%, I do not believe he would hold a pro-day as it would only diminish his draft stock.
Conclusion
So to finally answer the question that is posed in the first paragraph: No, the ankle fracture does not scare me away from London. Both the literature and the history of athletes successfully returning from this injury is solid indicator that London should do well. London will have 7+ months of rehab and 2-3+ months of training camp to prepare for his rookie season. I am targeting London in the mid-late 1st round of rookie drafts. If you can get him cheaper, I would capitalize on the league-mates who do not follow The Undroppables and are not in the know as you are, my friend.
