Tavon Austin

Tavon Austin
refer to caption
Austin with the St. Louis Rams in 2013
No. 10 – Dallas Cowboys
Position: Wide receiver, running back
Personal information
Born: (1990-03-15) March 15, 1990
Baltimore, Maryland
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight: 180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school: Dunbar (Baltimore, Maryland)
College: West Virginia
NFL Draft: 2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Career history
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 5, 2018
Receptions: 200
Receiving yards: 1,814
Rushing attempts: 188
Rushing yards: 1,279
Total return yards: 1,862
Total touchdowns: 26
Player stats at NFL.com

Tavon Wesley Austin (born March 15, 1990) is an American football wide receiver and running back for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at West Virginia where he received All-American honors twice. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft.

Early years

Austin was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He attended Dunbar High School in Baltimore, Maryland, where he played football, basketball, and ran track.[1] In football, he played running back, leading Dunbar High to three consecutive Class 1A state titles. As a senior, he had 2,660 yards rushing on 218 carries with 34 touchdowns, while also returning 12 punts for 446 yards and two scores.[2] He was a Two-time Maryland Consensus Offensive Player of the Year and Consensus first team All-state. He set state records for career points (790), touchdowns (123), total offensive yards (9,258) and rushing yards (7,962). In track & field, Austin competed as a sprinter and jumper. He ran a career-best time of 11.47 seconds in the 100 meters at the 2009 1A North Region Meet.[3] He was also a member of the Dunbar 400m relay squad.[4]

College career

Austin enrolled in West Virginia University, where he played for the West Virginia Mountaineers football team from 2009 to 2012.[5] He was converted into a wide receiver as a freshman in 2009.[6] During his freshman season, he had 15 receptions for 151 yards with a touchdown and also rushed for 47 yards on six carries with a touchdown and scored a touchdown on a kick return.[7] As a sophomore in 2010, he had 58 receptions for 787 yards and a team leading eight touchdowns. He also had 15 rushing attempts for 159 yards and a touchdown.[8]

As a junior in 2011, Austin had 100 receptions for 1,180 yards and eight touchdowns. He added 189 rushing yards on 18 carries and another touchdown. He also returned two kicks for touchdowns.[9] He was named a first team All-American by CBS Sports.[10] During the Mountaineers 70-33 win in the 2012 Orange Bowl, he set an Orange Bowl record with four touchdown receptions.[11][12] As a senior in 2012, he finished with 114 receptions for 1,289 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns to go along with 643 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. In addition, he had 32 kick returns for 813 net return yards and a kick return touchdown and 15 punt returns for 165 net return yards and a punt return touchdown.[13] He was the 2012 All-Purpose Performer of the Year as announced by the College Football Performance Awards association.[14]

College statistics

Regular and postseason WVU receiving stats[15]
Season Games Rec. Yards Avg. TD
2009131515110.11
2010135878713.68
201113101118611.78
201213114128911.312
Total522883,41311.929
Regular and postseason WVU rushing stats
Season Carries Yards Avg. TD
20096477.81
20101616110.11
20111618211.41
2012726438.93
Total1101,0339.46
Regular and postseason WVU return stats
Season Punt ret. PR yards PR TD Kick ret. KR yards KR TD
2009000174261
2010000122300
2011192680369382
2012151651328131
Total344331972,4074

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Ht Wt Arm length Hand size 40-yard dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert jump Broad BP
5 ft 8 1⁄2 in
(1.74 m)		 174 lb
(79 kg)		 30 in
(0.76 m)		 9 1⁄8 in
(0.23 m)		 4.34 s 1.55 s 2.56 s 4.01 s 32 in
(0.81 m)		 10 ft 0 in
(3.05 m)		 14 reps
All values from NFL Combine[16]

St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams

Austin was selected by the St. Louis Rams in the first round, 8th overall, in the 2013 NFL Draft.[17] The Rams traded up from pick 16 with the Buffalo Bills in order to select Austin. The Rams also selected former West Virginia wide receiver Stedman Bailey later in the third round of the draft with the 92nd overall pick, reuniting the teammates in the National Football League (NFL).

2013 season

On June 13, 2013, Austin signed a four-year, $12.751 million rookie contract. The deal included a $7.653 million signing bonus. During his first year in the NFL, Austin played 13 games with 151 rushing yards (on nine carries), 418 receiving yards, and 678 return yards on 51 combined return opportunities during kick and punt returns.[18]

In Week 10, against the Indianapolis Colts, Austin had a breakout performance that ended up being the best of his rookie campaign. In a 38–8 rout, Austin only had two receptions, but they totaled 138 receiving yards and were both touchdowns. He also ran the ball once for four yards. Austin also returned five kicks and punts for a total of 172 yards, including a 98-yard punt return touchdown.[19] Austin was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, and eventually became the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Month as well.[20][21]

2014 season

Austin's receiving yards in the 2014 season dropped down to 242 yards from his 418 yards in 2013.[22] Austin continued to excel as a returner as he was named a Pro Bowl alternate as a returner behind Devin Hester and Darren Sproles.[23] His 391 punt return yards ranked 3rd in the NFL in 2014—only behind DeAnthony Thomas of the Kansas City Chiefs and Sproles.[24]

Similarly to his 98-yard punt return during his rookie season, Austin was part of another huge special teams play during the 2014 season as well. During the second quarter of a Week 7 game against the division rival Seattle Seahawks, a game in which the Rams were already up 14–3, Austin was the designated punt return man on a play. He acted as if he was calling for a fair catch, but the ball had actually been punted to the opposite side of the field, where teammate Stedman Bailey was preparing to return the punt. With the entire Seattle coverage team focused on Austin, Bailey was left with a wide-open field and returned the punt 90 yards for a touchdown. The Rams went on defeat their NFC West rivals 28–26.[25]

2015 season

Austin had arguably his best season in 2015. He posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (473), and receiving touchdowns (five).[26] Austin further proved to be a dynamic player on offense as he ran the ball 52 times for 434 yards and four touchdowns.[27] After a Thursday Night Football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Austin became the first player to score at least five receiving touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, and a punt return touchdown in a single season since Gale Sayers did so for the Chicago Bears in 1965.[28][29]

2016 season

On May 12, 2016, the Los Angeles Rams picked up Austin's fifth-year option along with fellow Rams teammate and linebacker Alec Ogletree.[30] On August 27, 2016, the Rams and Austin agreed to a four-year, $42 million contract extension.[31] Austin finished a 4-12 season with 58 catches for 509 yards and three touchdowns, but on 107 targets (8.8 yards per catch, 4.8 yards per target).[32] Despite having his first year with over 500 receiving yards, Austin's rushing total of 159 yards and one touchdown on 28 rushes (5.7 yards per carry, at the time a career low for Austin) signaled a drop in his overall production from the previous season. He also failed to return a punt for a touchdown, something he had accomplished every year prior, and tied a career-high for fumbles with five.[33]

2017 season

Austin's production took a dramatic drop off in 2017, including numerous statistical career lows. Under new head coach Sean McVay the Rams reached the playoffs for the first time since 2004,[34] but Austin's contributions to the team during the 16 games he played in were almost nonexistent. Austin was targeted mostly with short passes, or was phased out of the passing game altogether, failing to catch a pass in 10 games, and not being targeted for a pass in 6 of those. Austin predominately became used as a runner on jet sweeps or during garbage time, and was also removed from his special teams duties after Week 5 due to fumbling issues, as well as his career low 4.4 average return per punt on 12 attempts.[35] Austin caught 13 passes for 47 yards, and rushed a career high 59 runs, but the 270 rushing yards meant a new career low average of 4.6 yards per rush on the year. His 317 total yards from scrimmage was also a new career low. As in 2016, Austin tied his career high for fumbles with five, and set a new career high in lost fumbles, with four. His lone touchdown, from a 27 yard run, marked a low in scoring for Austin;[36] 2017 was the second year of Austin's career without a receiving touchdown, as well as his second consecutive year without a returning score. Through five years as a Ram, Austin had only one game of at least 100 yards receiving, and only five games with at least 100 yards from scrimmage.[37]

2018 season

During the 2018 off-season, there were reports that the Rams would be interested in trading or releasing Austin.[38] However on March 15, 2018, Austin agreed to a restructured contract that voided the final three years of his contract while paying him his $5 million in guarantees and an additional $3 million in incentives.[39]

Dallas Cowboys

On April 28, 2018, Austin was traded to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2018 sixth-round draft pick.[40] In Week 2 of the 2018 season, against the New York Giants, Austin recorded a 64-yard touchdown reception for his first with the Cowboys.[41]

NFL statistics

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSReceivingRushingPunt returnsFumbles
RecYdsAvgLngTDAttYdsAvgLngTDRetYdsAvgLngTDFumLost
2013STL 1334041810.581T4915116.865T1332808.598141
2014STL 158312427.8280362246.21923539111.278150
2015STL 1615524739.166T5524348.3604342687.975132
2016LAR 1515585098.843T3281595.730T1443648.347051
2017LAR 16913473.6130592704.627T112534.412054
2018DAL 50612520.864T244110.31809556.122000
Total80492001,8149.181141881,2796.86591641,4118.4983228

References

  1. ↑ Loveday, Mike (2009-02-04). "Loveday: Hats off". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  2. ↑ Kartje, Ryan (2017-10-06). "In new Rams offense, has Tavon Austin finally found his ideal role?". Orange County Register. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  3. ↑ "1A North Region Meet - Track & Field Meet". Athletic.net.
  4. ↑ https://www.trackingfootball.com/players/tavon-austin-4322/
  5. ↑ "Tavon Austin College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  6. ↑ "Tavon Austin zooms to the top".
  7. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2009 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  8. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2010 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  9. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2011 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  10. ↑ "Tavon Austin earning All-America honors".
  11. ↑ "West Virginia makes history in Orange Bowl rout of Clemson". USATODAY.COM. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  12. ↑ "Orange Bowl - West Virginia vs Clemson Box Score, January 4, 2012". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  13. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2012 Game Log". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  14. ↑ http://www.wvusports.com/blogs.cfm?blog=footballBlog&story=22643
  15. ↑ "Tavon Austin College Stats - College Football at Sports-Reference.com". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  16. ↑ "NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles - Tavon Austin". www.nfl.com.
  17. ↑ "2013 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  18. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2013 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  19. ↑ "St. Louis Rams at Indianapolis Colts - November 10th, 2013". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  20. ↑ "2013 NFL Week 10 Leaders & Scores". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  21. ↑ "Tavon Austin earns NFC special teams player of the month nod". ProFootballTalk. 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  22. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2014 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  23. ↑ Wagoner, Nick. "Janoris Jenkins, Tavon Austin are Pro Bowl alternates". ESPN.com.
  24. ↑ "2017 NFL Player Returning Stats - National Football League - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  25. ↑ "Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams - October 19th, 2014". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  26. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2015 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  27. ↑ "Tavon Austin". ESPN.com.
  28. ↑ "Rams beat Bucs in what may be their last game in St. Louis". FOX Sports. 18 December 2015.
  29. ↑ "Tampa Bay Buccaneers at St. Louis Rams - December 17th, 2015". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  30. ↑ Wagoner, Nick (May 2, 2016). "Rams pick up fifth-year options on Tavon Austin, Alec Ogletree". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  31. ↑ Orr, Conor (August 27, 2016). "Tavon Austin signs 4-year, $42M extension with Rams". NFL.com. Retrieved November 26, 2016.
  32. ↑ "2016 Los Angeles Rams Statistics & Players". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  33. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2016 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  34. ↑ http://www.espn.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/128689/todd-gurley-leads-rams-to-win-over-titans-division-title
  35. ↑ "Sean McVay noncommittal on Tavon Austin as Rams' punt returner". USA Today. 2017-10-09. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  36. ↑ "Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams - October 8th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  37. ↑ "Tavon Austin 2017 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-03-12.
  38. ↑ Wesseling, Chris (March 1, 2018). "Los Angeles Rams will trade or release Tavon Austin". NFL.com.
  39. ↑ Gonzalez, Alden (March 16, 2018). "Tavon Austin reworks Rams deal, can be free agent at end of season". ESPN.com.
  40. ↑ Teope, Herbie (April 28, 2018). "Rams trade Tavon Austin to Cowboys for sixth-rounder". NFL.com.
  41. ↑ "Prescott, Dallas D lead Cowboys to 20-13 win over Giants". AP News. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
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