Rams Rewind: Tavon Austin/Latsch

[RamBill]

Rams Rewind: Tavon Austin
By Nate Latsch

http://stl.scout.com/story/1510839-rams-rewind-tavon-austin?s=124

ST. LOUIS — With National Signing Day on Wednesday, we’re taking a look back at some of the Rams when they were high school prospects and going through the recruiting process.

Wide receiver Tavon Austin

Then: Austin was a five-star prospect at Dunbar High School in Maryland. He was rated as the 47th-best prospect in the Class of 2009 and the fifth-best running back prospect, behind Bryce Brown, Trent Richardson, Michael Ford and Christine Michael.

Evaluation: “Trying to tackle Austin is like catching a rabbit in a cornfield. He has a tremendous ability to shift gears and accelerate in the open field. He is a great cutback runner, because of his shiftiness and vision. He plays bigger than he is and is not afraid to lower his shoulder and run between the tackles and put his body on the line in pass pro. He is an exceptional receiver out of the backfield and can even line up in the slot.” - Bob Lichtenfels

Now: Austin was the No. 8 overall pick in the first round of the 2013 draft and just finished his second season with the Rams. He accounted for six touchdowns in 13 games as a rookie but scored just three this past season.

 

[mr.stlouis]

What does Edelman, Vereen, and Ammendola have that Austin doesn't? Exactly.

 

[Mackeyser]

What is: The Stigma of cheating their way to a Super Bowl?

*DING*

Okay, Alex... I'll take Potent Potables for $400...

 

[BatteringRambo]

Pot(ent) Pot (ables). Heeee heee hee.

 

[jrry32]

What does Edelman, Vereen, and Ammendola have that Austin doesn't? Exactly.

Tom Brady.

 

[Fatbot]

What does Edelman, Vereen, and Ammendola have that Austin doesn't?

Tavon's story is just being written. Perhaps in a few years people will ask what Tavon had that others didn't.

For the guys you list, it's an all-too-often mistake of prospect star rankings that simply miss on things like football IQ, character, how hard they will work in their future NFL careers, etc...

 

[Robocop]

What does Edelman, Vereen, and Ammendola have that Austin doesn't? Exactly.

A healthy starting QB to catch accurate strong passes from

 

[V3]

What does Edelman, Vereen, and Ammendola have that Austin doesn't? Exactly.

Higher IQ, better hands, and better route running.

 

[CGI_Ram]

What does Edelman, Vereen, and Ammendola have that Austin doesn't? Exactly.

Austin has struggled with the NFL playbook. That's clear.

Yes, a stronger more accurate arm of Bradford will help...

But the key lies in Fisher and Co figuring out how to get this guy the ball in space.

 

[lockdnram21]

Austin has struggled with the NFL playbook. That's clear.

Yes, a stronger more accurate arm of Bradford will help...

But the key lies in Fisher and Co figuring out how to get this guy the ball in space.

How do u know it's not him? I think it's him and not the coaches. He should have been drafted in 4th Lime de'anthont Thomas

 

[shaunpinney]

I'm disappointed at what we've had (or haven't had) to date from Tavon, now I don't know who to blame, but the guy has a unique set of abilities that we don't seem to have been able to unlock. Lets hope next season, Tavon's 3rd we see him light the place up.

 

[Faceplant]

Has anyone watched the all 22 to see whether or not Tavon is creating his OWN space and just not getting the ball? Also, does anyone have any links to recent statements by the coaches saying that he still does not grasp the playbook? I am a Tavon believer, but I have to admit that I do not see him flashing as much as I would have hoped to. I still want to see him running the 9 route more often as I just do not see anyone staying with him downfield. Would be nice if we could protect our QBs long enough to make that a real threat also....

Edit: I am with @shaunpinney and can't wait to see year 3 for TA and Steddy.

 

[fearsomefour]

What does Edelman, Vereen, and Ammendola have that Austin doesn't? Exactly.

three things

 

[shaunpinney]

Has anyone watched the all 22 to see whether or not Tavon is creating his OWN space and just not getting the ball? Also, does anyone have any links to recent statements by the coaches saying that he still does not grasp the playbook? I am a Tavon believer, but I have to admit that I do not see him flashing as much as I would have hoped to. I still want to see him running the 9 route more often as I just do not see anyone staying with him downfield. Would be nice if we could protect our QBs long enough to make that a real threat also....

Edit: I am with @shaunpinney and can't wait to see year 3 for TA and Steddy.

Good point, would be good to see / analyse if its more the fact that Tavon can't get open and not that he doesn't get the ball - I'm with you, Tavon downfield. Even if he's not the target, he's a guy you always have to mark closely which can leave Britt/Quick/Bailey with more time & space.

I guess we have to be mindful of the fact that he's had Hill & Davis throwing him the ball this past season.

Edit: Then again Hill & Davis are the NFL QBs that Fisher selected to take the Rams forward after Sam went down...

 

[BonifayRam]

Snead & Fisher used a 2013 First round selection & a 2013 Second round selection to move up to the #8 pick in the first round to get a WR/PR. Here we are with two NFL season gone & fixing to enter the 3rd & hoping to see if Tavon Austin will have a coming out Party in his third season...... Tavon's contractual ties with the Rams will be dust at the end of 2016. And add that most of this forums members want another WR in this yr draftalm:

Rams sure have had a bunch of bad things happen to make the above statement. Myself I see nothing yet that makes me think that we will ever get our draft investments back.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Hey, repeat after me....YOU DON"T DRAFT SLOT WR's in the 1ST ROUND!!!!!!

What does Edelman, Vereen, and Ammendola have that Austin doesn't? Exactly.

Tom Brady, that OC we fired, and that damn arrow route that you'd think Tavon could run in his sleep by now....oh add hands and toughness to go across the middle...and I agree about the football IQ part too...Worst pick by the Snisher, ever....

 

[V3]

If Austin is a playmaker, shouldn't he be able to make his own plays? People keep saying the OC needs to find ways to make Austin successful but that's BS, IMO. If you're going to take a guy that high and give up that much for a player, he shouldn't require the coaches and team to construct the perfect conditions just so he can be successful in the NFL. Real playmakers are able to take a crappy play call, throw, teammate's mistake, etc and turn it into a great result. If you have to resort to gadget plays, perfect execution, etc in order to get production out of him, he shouldn't have been drafted that high. That pick set this franchise back quite a bit.

 

[Robocop]

Has anyone watched the all 22 to see whether or not Tavon is creating his OWN space and just not getting the ball? Also, does anyone have any links to recent statements by the coaches saying that he still does not grasp the playbook? I am a Tavon believer, but I have to admit that I do not see him flashing as much as I would have hoped to. I still want to see him running the 9 route more often as I just do not see anyone staying with him downfield. Would be nice if we could protect our QBs long enough to make that a real threat also....

Edit: I am with @shaunpinney and can't wait to see year 3 for TA and Steddy.

yea unless someone's got some kind of endzone feature camera angle that the rest of us don't have then how can you say it's his routes cus we can't see his routes on the damn TV just the QB

 

[mr.stlouis]

Austin has struggled with the NFL playbook. That's clear.

Yes, a stronger more accurate arm of Bradford will help...

But the key lies in Fisher and Co figuring out how to get this guy the ball in space.

Put him on another team with a stable offense and watch him explode.

 

[RamFan503]

Tom Brady.

AKA soft balls