Tavon Austin

Tavon Austin

Austin with the St. Louis Rams in 2013
No. 11 Los Angeles Rams
Position:	Wide receiver / return specialist
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1991-03-15) March 15, 1991
Place of birth:	Baltimore, Maryland
Height:	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight:	176 lb (80 kg)
Career information
High school:	Baltimore (MD) Dunbar
College:	West Virginia
NFL draft:	2013 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8
Career history
St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams (2013–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-American (2011, 2012) First-team All-Big East (2011, 2012) First-team All-Big 12 Conference (2012) Big East Special Teams Player of the Year (2011, 2012) Paul Hornung Award (2012) 8th Place in Heisman Trophy voting (2012) Hardman Award (2013) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2013) 3× NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 10, 2013, Week 14, 2014, Week 1, 2015)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2015
Receptions: 123 Receiving Yards: 1,133 Rushing attempts: 96 Rushing Yards: 809 Total return yards: 1,372 Total touchdowns: 19 Player stats at NFL.com

Tavon Wesley Austin (born March 15, 1991) is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He was widely considered one of the top prospects at his position, and was drafted by the Rams eighth overall in the 2013 NFL Draft.^[1][2] He played college football at West Virginia and received All-American honors twice.

Early years

Austin attended Dunbar High School in Baltimore, Maryland, where he played football, basketball and ran track. 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. 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 11.43 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. He was converted into a wide receiver as a freshman in 2009.^[5] 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. 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.

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. He was named a first team All-American by CBS.^[6] During the Mountaineers 70-33 win in the 2012 Orange Bowl, he set an Orange Bowl record with four touchdown receptions.^[7] He was the 2012 All-Purpose Performer of the Year as announced by the College Football Performance Awards association.^[8]

College Statistics

Receiving

Regular and postseason

^[9]

Rushing

Regular and postseason

Returns

Regular and postseason

Professional career

2013 NFL Combine

2013 NFL Draft

Austin was selected by the St. Louis Rams with the 8th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. 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, reuniting the teammates in the NFL.

St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams

2013

On June 13, 2013, Austin signed a 4-year, $12.751 million 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 9 carries), 418 receiving yards, and 678 return yards on 51 combined return opportunities during kick and punt returns.

2014

Austin's receiving yards in 2014 dropped down to 242 yards from his 418 yards. Austin continued to excel as a returner as he was named a Pro Bowl alternate as a returner behind Devin Hester and Darren Sproles. ^[11] His 391 punt return yards ranked 3rd in the NFL in 2014--only behind DeAnthony Thomas of the Kansas City Chiefs and Sproles. ^[12]

2015

Austin had arguably his best season in 2015. He posted career highs in receptions (52), receiving yards (473), and receiving touchdowns (5). Austin further proved to be a dynamic player on offense as he ran the ball 52 times for 434 yards and 4 touchdowns.^[13] After a Thursday Night 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.^[14]

References

External links

• West Virginia Mountaineers bio
• St. Louis Rams bio