USC wide receiver Drake London’s collegiate career came to an official end on Wednesday as the junior declared for the NFL Draft.

London, who was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, announced his decision on Twitter with a letter addressed to the “Trojan Family”.

“It’s been a true blessing to compete as a Trojan over the past three seasons. You welcomed me with open arms and I will forever be grateful for the love you’ve shown me,” his message read. “I will forever be a Trojan and cannot wait to represent the best brotherhood in the NFL.”

To the best University in the world, Thank you for everything! Fight on forever!

One-Five… pic.twitter.com/UgxJO3xsUF

— Dråkë (@DrakeLondon_) December 9, 2021

Through the first eight games of the season, London established himself as one of if not the top receiver in college football. He caught 88 passes for 1,084 yards and seven touchdowns, with five games of 10 or more catches and four games of at least 160 yards receiving.

His season ended prematurely, though, with a fractured ankle that kept him out of the final four games. Still, London was voted the Pac-12’s top offensive player by the conference’s coaches and was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to college football’s top pass catcher.

The ankle injury is not expected to affect London’s draft stock. Most analysts project he will be a first-round pick in the spring.

London came to USC prior to the 2019 season as a two-sport athlete out of Moorpark High, competing on the men’s basketball team as a freshman at USC.

London worked his way into the rotation in his first season despite a receiver room that included Michael Pittman Jr., Amon-Ra St. Brown and Tyler Vaughns.

He ended his freshman year strong with his first two 100-yard performances to end the regular season and touchdown catches in each of the final five games of the season. As a sophomore, he led USC with 502 receiving yards during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season (six games).

After his sophomore season, London opted to leave the basketball team and focus solely on football for the first time in his career, a decision that paid off with London proving nearly unstoppable this fall, forcing opposing defenses to craft their game plans around stopping him.

London joins offensive lineman Jalen McKenzie as Trojans entering the NFL Draft early this season.

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