Tavon Austin was drafted by the St. Louis Rams (who trade..."/> Tavon Austin was drafted by the St. Louis Rams (who trade..."/>

Tavon Austin says playing for St. Louis Rams was big adjustment

Oct 20, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) returns a punt during the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 30-15. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2013; Charlotte, NC, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) returns a punt during the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Panthers win 30-15. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /
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When Tavon Austin was drafted by the St. Louis Rams (who traded up to select him, mind you), expectations were aplenty for the physically gifted athlete.

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They only grew as Austin tore through training camp but when the games kicked off, Austin looked like a shell of his collegiate self.

Frustrated, Austin expressed disappointment in himself after the season and today admitted that life in the NFL was a pretty big adjustment.

“It’s all about getting comfortable,” said Austin, selected with the No. 8 overall in the 2013 draft. “It was a pretty big adjustment for me at first. The playbook was different. The speed of the game was different. I eventually caught on and the game settled down.”

Austin looked much more comfortable come the final few weeks of the season and while he did put up some better numbers, they still probably weren’t what the Rams coaching staff nor fans were hoping to see from the explosive talent. Still, with a season under his belt, the hope is that Austin will regain much of the form that made him a standout college star.

Head coach Jeff Fisher states he still believes in Austin, who impressed everybody with a set of eyeballs during his breakout 305-yard game against the Colts.

“They’ve (Austin and Stedman Bailey) obviously shown they can make plays on the field,” Fisher said. “As they get experience, they improve. We still like that position. We don’t necessarily see that as a need position.”

While it might not be make-or-break for Austin this season, he’s certainly going to need an improvement.