St. Louis Rams to Use WR Tavon Austin Extensively
By Chris Roling
The St. Louis Rams used the No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft on West Virginia star receiver Tavon Austin in the hopes he could change the complexion of the aerial attack orchestrated by quarterback Sam Bradford.
So far Austin has done nothing but impress this offseason, leading to multiple reports that the Rams will use the explosive receiver in countless ways next season.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen appeared on NFL 32 Tuesday and gave viewers the low-down on what to expect from Austin in his rookie season (via Rotoworld):
"Before recommending Austin in fantasy football leagues, Mort said the Rams weren’t sure if Austin let a ball hit the ground “all offseason.” Mort expects Austin to line up all over the field, including at running back and in the slot."
It’s not the most shocking news in the world considering the Rams traded up for Austin. No kidding, right?
What’s interesting here is how Austin will be used. It sounds as if the Rams intend to use Austin like the Green Bay Packers do Randall Cobb, or how the Minnesota Vikings used to use Percy Harvin before shipping him to Seattle.
Austin will not only line up at wide receiver on the outside, but in the slot and at running back, which means he could either receive carries or catch passes out of the backfield.
The Rams are a team on the rise and it sounds as if Austin is one of the most critical pieces to the team’s success in 2013.
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