Tavon Austin Scouting Report


Positives
  • play maker in every sense of the word
  • capable from scoring from everywhere on the field
  • extremely versatile (runner, receiver and returner)
  • very productive and battle tested (only four games under ten catches last year)
  • plus as a runner (643 yards, 8.9 avg and three touchdowns)
  • amazing after the catch (majority of his passes were 5 yards and under, averaged 13 yards after the catch on those plays)
  • great hands (smallest drop percentage among all top receivers with only a 4.2% rate)
  • very quick and elusive
  • biggest threat with the ball in his hands in the draft
  • very durable never missed a game

Negatives
  • gimmicky offence, most plays were 5 yards and under
  • untested route runner because of the offence he ran
  • incredibly small for the position (5'9 174 pounds)
  • limited experience (having just switched from running back as a freshman)
  • could use refinement as a receiver

Bottom line: Tavon Austin could very well be the best play maker in this draft. Extremely productive at WVU (two 100 catch seasons) despite running a peculiar offence that utilized his strength as a runner more then a receiver. As a result the team that drafts this guy will get a play maker, but how they use him will greatly effect his production at the next level. If put in the right scheme (the spread offence of the Broncos or Pats for example) then Austin could have a Percy Harvin like effect on the league. However if asked to be a traditional receiver even from a slot position then the adjustment could take longer then a first round pick's should.

Diagnosis: mid to late first round (one of the only picks consistent with my prediction based on prospect value alone)

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