Two seasons of Tavon Austin

[Rams and Gators]

I've been over Austin since around game 3, if you stop viewing him as anything special he occasionally comes up with a pleasant surprise, it's not his fault he was so massively over drafted, but it's always going to be hard to get out of your mind that Hopkins+Warford is so vastly superior.

 

[Fatbot]

I liked the taste we got of Tavon this season. I still think he has a bright future and his lack of production has been mostly on coaching. Schotty was still even doing the stupid runs between the tackles even up to midseason(?) but we finally started to see some decent plays with the jet sweeps. I also blame coaching for putting the cart before the horse in drafting him. They thought they could get by with a duct-taped decrepit o-line so gathered "playmakers" that offseason instead of building the foundation first. He averaged like 8 ypc over the last 8 games, as for receiving still never got more than 5 targets in a game and most often only 2 looks. Part is also due to losing SB, who knows what Tavon's stats could be if the offense was clicking with a good QB.

 

[Memphis Ram]

A solid all purpose guy who will make a few big plays on occasion. I expected no more and no less when he was drafted.

 

[jrry32]

I've been over Austin since around game 3, if you stop viewing him as anything special he occasionally comes up with a pleasant surprise, it's not his fault he was so massively over drafted, but it's always going to be hard to get out of your mind that Hopkins+Warford is so vastly superior.

Good to know. I can add to the list of players I wish we had.

 

[Rams and Gators]

Good to know. I can add to the list of players I wish we had.

Awesome, I'm running out of paper on mine.

 

[jrry32]

Awesome, I'm running out of paper on mine.

Send it to me. I think I have a few names to add to it. How far back are we going?

 

[Robocop]

how is a speedy small wide reciever suppose to thrive with backup QBs with weak inaccurate arms? not to mention the OC being retarded. lineup Tavon with Big Ben and this is a different story. im not worried about Tavon there's way bigger problems

 

[Tweed335]

From what I've seen, and maybe a few of you mentioned it here, every catch Tavon makes he has stopped his route. So, he's not moving when he catches the ball, and I think that stop then re-start makes it much easier for defenses to catch up to him. I've heard it pointed out that Schotty's scheme calls for receivers to sit between the zones, or in the holes of the zone, which basically takes away Tavon's best attributes: Speed and Allusiveness.

It seemed like last year Schotty had a few plays where the receivers would basically clear out the secondary with deep routes then have Tavon cross on a shallow 'in route', and when it was thrown to him in stride it was at least a 20 yard gain.

I think many are correct here, when they say Schotty doesn't adapt his system to his players but expects his players to adapt to his system. I'm not saying that is necessarily wrong, I just feel like I see way more success in coaches that know how to integrate the talent of their players with the philosophy of their system. This may be a discussion for a different day, but maybe this is related to Schotty's apparent lack of adjustments throughout games, maybes he's inflexible or stubborn, or just working with what he's got at QB and OL. But I digress.

 

[Warner4Prez]

I know there's more there than what we've seen. No reason he shouldn't have numbers comparable to Brandin Cooks instead of what we've seen.

 

[Athos]

I know there's more there than what we've seen. No reason he shouldn't have numbers comparable to Brandin Cooks instead of what we've seen.

Cooks was FAR, FAR, FAR more developed as a WR coming out for one.

 

[Dxmissile]

We're gonna get about a couple hundred more of these player evaluation threads popping up from here on out, so i'll get mine out of the way now.

T.Austin. Color me Not impressed.
Draft day first round trade up. I was all for the pick BTW. I felt it was the right move. I was excited to add the speed and slippery, athletic playmaker.
I expected his natural ability to allow him to make more of an impact even as he was developing and finding his way through the tough transition to the NFL as a WR. One could take the angle of having no legit QB throwing to him or point to Shotty's offense i suppose, but i'm not really buying it at this point. I see that fact being more relevant in terms of the production of other guys more so than Tavon. Britt, Quick, Bailey, Cook etc...

Austin's numbers since drafted two years ago.

2013(13 games)
40 rec 418 yds
10.5 avg/rec
4 TD's

9 rush 151 yds
16.8/carry
1 TD

33 punt ret
280 yds
8.5 avg
1 TD


2014(15 games)
31 rec 242 yds
7.8 avg/rec
0 TD's

36 rush 224 yds
6.2/carry
2 TD's

35 punt ret
391 yds
11.2 avg
1 TD

CAREER
71 rec 660 yds
9.3 avg/rec
4 TD's

45 rush 375 yds
8.3 avg/carry
3 TD's

2 punt ret TD's

That's 9 all purpose TD's in two seasons. We'll get a better gauge next season with(hopefully) a legit QB and a full three seasons....but IMO we drafted another gadget player who's best role is as a punt returner. Hope i'm wrong, but this looks like a swing and a missed pick to me.

Your thoughts?

How many punt returns touchdowns were called back.. how many receiving touchdowns were called back. All of that will raise his average and make his numbers better despite an inept play caller that never had someone with his talents and doesn't use him right. So to say Austin hasn't lived up to expectations you have to but most of that on the playcaller. You would think that after the Colts game Schotty would know how to use him but the use of Austin or lack of is one of the main reasons I don't like Schotty. I don't see how Schotty can get a pass and not Austin or any of the receivers. The same excuses people can use for Schotty so can every other skill position player

 

[fearsomefour]

We're gonna get about a couple hundred more of these player evaluation threads popping up from here on out, so i'll get mine out of the way now.

T.Austin. Color me Not impressed.
Draft day first round trade up. I was all for the pick BTW. I felt it was the right move. I was excited to add the speed and slippery, athletic playmaker.
I expected his natural ability to allow him to make more of an impact even as he was developing and finding his way through the tough transition to the NFL as a WR. One could take the angle of having no legit QB throwing to him or point to Shotty's offense i suppose, but i'm not really buying it at this point. I see that fact being more relevant in terms of the production of other guys more so than Tavon. Britt, Quick, Bailey, Cook etc...

Austin's numbers since drafted two years ago.

2013(13 games)
40 rec 418 yds
10.5 avg/rec
4 TD's

9 rush 151 yds
16.8/carry
1 TD

33 punt ret
280 yds
8.5 avg
1 TD


2014(15 games)
31 rec 242 yds
7.8 avg/rec
0 TD's

36 rush 224 yds
6.2/carry
2 TD's

35 punt ret
391 yds
11.2 avg
1 TD

CAREER
71 rec 660 yds
9.3 avg/rec
4 TD's

45 rush 375 yds
8.3 avg/carry
3 TD's

2 punt ret TD's

That's 9 all purpose TD's in two seasons. We'll get a better gauge next season with(hopefully) a legit QB and a full three seasons....but IMO we drafted another gadget player who's best role is as a punt returner. Hope i'm wrong, but this looks like a swing and a missed pick to me.

Your thoughts?

Could be heading that way, not because he is terrible, but, you just have to get better numbers out of a guy taken that highly.
When you look at what guys like Hilton have done with similar builds I don't think it has anything to do with size. Maybe he is just not a skilled route runner....which really puts the onus on the WR coach (taking for granted effort ect. is there from the player). Maybe it is the OC not finding ways to use him. His punt returning could be special for sure if he stopped getting so many called back. So far I have been disappointed how things have gone with Austin.

 

[Dxmissile]

Cooks was FAR, FAR, FAR more developed as a WR coming out for one.

Look who cooks has had throwing him the ball. And Asshole Face as offensive guru. Put Austin on the saints and he would be a 1000 yrd receiver and 500 yard rusher. Their two situations can not be compared cooks in a better situation all the way around

 

[ZigZagRam]

I'm disappointed that Tavon looked so overwhelmed last season. I'm disappointed that the QB situation dictated that he wouldn't be breaking out this season.

I have hope for next season, but I've accepted the fact that it may be with a second team that Tavon really breaks out.

 

[Athos]

When you look at what guys like Hilton have done with similar builds I don't think it has anything to do with size. Maybe he is just not a skilled route runner....which really puts the onus on the WR coach (taking for granted effort ect. is there from the player). Maybe it is the OC not finding ways to use him. His punt returning could be special for sure if he stopped getting so many called back. So far I have been disappointed how things have gone with Austin.

I really think some of it has to do with his routes. He just didn't run any routes in college. Seriously. Most of his routes were screens or a 9 route. His lack of route running improvement is annoying though and you could be right about it being the WR coach, but then.....Studman has proven to be a very good route runner. Pettis was too, he just didn't have nearly enough athleticism.

 

[LosAngelesRams]

I really like Tavon and hope he becomes what he should, the talent is there for sure. with that being said I don't know what the problem is OC? Not getting it? No QB? Who knows?

Tavon Austin - 8th Overall, 2 years stats (660 yards, 4 TD's)
Odell Beckham Jr - 12th overall (1,305 Yards, 12 TD's)
Kelvin Benjamin - 28th overall (1,008 Yards, 9 TD's)
Brandin Cooks - 20th overall (550 yards, 3 TD's) (Injured Season)
Allen Hurns - UDFA (677 Yards, 6 TD's)
Sammy Watkins - 4th overall (982 Yards, 6 TD's)
Jordan Matthews - 42nd Overall (872 Yards, 8 TD's) (The guy I wanted in horns.)
Mike Evans - 7th overall (1,051 Yards, 12 TD's)
Martavis Bryant - 114th overall (549 yards, 8 TD's)
Jarvis Landry - 63rd Overall (758 yards, 5TD's)

 

[fearsomefour]

I really think some of it has to do with his routes. He just didn't run any routes in college. Seriously. Most of his routes were screens or a 9 route. His lack of route running improvement is annoying though and you could be right about it being the WR coach, but then.....Studman has proven to be a very good route runner. Pettis was too, he just didn't have nearly enough athleticism.

Yeah, hard to tell from the outside. But, lack of producing is irritating. I think Schotty tries to put him in positions to make plays, but, the best way to get him into space is through the passing game, not running or bubble screens....but, that generally has not happened.
He may be on e of those guys who is just slowly improving and then it comes together all at once. I just hope he is in horns when it comes together.

 

[lockdnram21]

Look who cooks has had throwing him the ball. And Asshole Face as offensive guru. Put Austin on the saints and he would be a 1000 yrd receiver and 500 yard rusher. Their two situations can not be compared cooks in a better situation all the way around

You can't compare the 2. Austin is a Harvin clone. Not a good route runner. He was massively overdrafted. He should have been drafted in the fourth like Deanthony Thomas

 

[Irish]

Overdrafted, over valued, under utilized.

If he is just a punt returner, than stop calling fair catches so often. Dane Looker can call fair catches, and he was not the 8th overall pick. Devin Hester or Dante Hall should be the expectation that high.

 

[jrry32]

Overdrafted, over valued, under utilized.

If he is just a punt returner, than stop calling fair catches so often. Dane Looker can call fair catches, and he was not the 8th overall pick. Devin Hester or Dante Hall should be the expectation that high.

All I can say is wow. That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

That's like saying, "Russell Wilson, you want to be a scrambling QB...well stop sliding and protecting yourself."