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Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY Sports
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2013/08/08/rams-tavon-austin/2633999/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf ... n/2633999/</a>
EARTH CITY, Mo. — If they can't catch you…
"… They can't hit me," Tavon Austin said, completing his visitor's thought as he stood in a hallway at the St. Louis Rams complex this week. "But there's going to be times when you take licks."
If they can catch you.
Cortland Finnegan, the notoriously scrappy cornerback, can relate. Finnegan, 29, typically lines up at nickel back when the offense goes with three-wide formations (almost always). He's charged with covering the rookie in the slot who has been the buzz of camp.
"Trying to keep up with a youngster with 17 different pitches," Finnegan said. "It's like he's got a fastball, a curveball, a sinker and a few more."
Austin, with his special explosion, points to his daily competition against Finnegan and how the feedback from the eighth-year veteran is essential to his learning curve.
Of course, in the drills he's not getting the full Finnegan, who can get under the skin of the best receivers with his physicality and mind games. In camp, there are limits.
But they've talked about it. The first-round pick is 5-8, 176 pounds soaking wet.
"You'd be hitting him, pushing him, a bunch of stuff," Finnegan said of how he'd play Austin in a real game. "He's going to get that. The bigger guys, the Richard Shermans, are going to try to intimidate him. He'll be well aware of that."
Will he hold up?
"My only concern is whether he can take the pounding in the NFL," said Torry Holt, the last receiver drafted in the first round by the Rams, in 1999. Holt, who's on the team's preseason TV broadcast team, has been offering tips to Austin and other young wideouts.
He's mindful that the team's last slot receiver, Danny Amendola, missed 20 games the past two years due to injuries.
"We'll see," Holt said of Austin. "I'm not questioning his toughness. He's plenty tough."
Everybody in camp has some "Wow!" impression of the West Virginia product who was the first skill-position player drafted in April when the Rams traded up eight slots to select him eighth overall.
"My main focus is to just do what I came here to do," said Austin, coming off back-to-back 100-catch seasons in college. "I'm looking forward to seeing how this will play out."
It wasn't too long ago when a prospect such as Austin would probably last until the second round. Sure his speed is enticing. He was clocked at 4.34 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, but quick, shifty slot guys used to take a backseat to the bigger guys lined up on the outside.
Not anymore. Not with spread offenses all the rage, and with every-down slot receivers such as Wes Welker putting up 100-catch seasons on a regular basis.
The hint that maybe Austin will take the position to a higher level and his multifaceted role — which includes returning punts and occasionally lining up in the backfield — begins to justify why the Rams made such a heavy investment. They shipped a second-round pick to the Buffalo Bills and swapped first- and third-round picks.
It was a premium price, but Austin might be the NFL's most lethal neophyte playmaker. In trying to upgrade a 23rd-ranked offense, the Rams want more explosive plays.
Quarterback Sam Bradford says it has been "fun" to watch Austin after the catch.
"He's made some people look silly out here," Bradford said.
Speed is the ticket, but not only in a physical sense. His impact as a rookie will be influenced by how fast he can absorb the system. Besides quarterbacks, receivers traditionally have some of the toughest transitions from college, needing to adjust routes on the fly in the face of more complex defensive coverages.
Although receivers coach Ray Sherman raves about Austin's grasp of the playbook, it has undoubtedly been a process.
Austin recalls how overwhelmed he was when he first laid eyes on the playbook, which the Rams download to iPads and provide to players. If it wasn't the sheer volume of material, the terminology threw him for a loop.
"At first, I couldn't understand it," he said. "For a minute, I thought I had a learning disability. I couldn't pick it up.
"Now everything's clicking."
Sherman's tutoring and sessions with Bradford in Oklahoma helped.
"I've tried to learn what everybody is doing, not just my one position," he said. "If you know the whole scheme, it's easier."
Holt has seen it in practice. Austin is playing fast physically and mentally. He's also tending to details.
"If I've got an 18-yard curl route, make sure it's 18 yards," he said.
And if the defender can't catch him, even better.
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/bell/2013/08/08/rams-tavon-austin/2633999/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nf ... n/2633999/</a>
EARTH CITY, Mo. — If they can't catch you…
"… They can't hit me," Tavon Austin said, completing his visitor's thought as he stood in a hallway at the St. Louis Rams complex this week. "But there's going to be times when you take licks."
If they can catch you.
Cortland Finnegan, the notoriously scrappy cornerback, can relate. Finnegan, 29, typically lines up at nickel back when the offense goes with three-wide formations (almost always). He's charged with covering the rookie in the slot who has been the buzz of camp.
"Trying to keep up with a youngster with 17 different pitches," Finnegan said. "It's like he's got a fastball, a curveball, a sinker and a few more."
Austin, with his special explosion, points to his daily competition against Finnegan and how the feedback from the eighth-year veteran is essential to his learning curve.
Of course, in the drills he's not getting the full Finnegan, who can get under the skin of the best receivers with his physicality and mind games. In camp, there are limits.
But they've talked about it. The first-round pick is 5-8, 176 pounds soaking wet.
"You'd be hitting him, pushing him, a bunch of stuff," Finnegan said of how he'd play Austin in a real game. "He's going to get that. The bigger guys, the Richard Shermans, are going to try to intimidate him. He'll be well aware of that."
Will he hold up?
"My only concern is whether he can take the pounding in the NFL," said Torry Holt, the last receiver drafted in the first round by the Rams, in 1999. Holt, who's on the team's preseason TV broadcast team, has been offering tips to Austin and other young wideouts.
He's mindful that the team's last slot receiver, Danny Amendola, missed 20 games the past two years due to injuries.
"We'll see," Holt said of Austin. "I'm not questioning his toughness. He's plenty tough."
Everybody in camp has some "Wow!" impression of the West Virginia product who was the first skill-position player drafted in April when the Rams traded up eight slots to select him eighth overall.
"My main focus is to just do what I came here to do," said Austin, coming off back-to-back 100-catch seasons in college. "I'm looking forward to seeing how this will play out."
It wasn't too long ago when a prospect such as Austin would probably last until the second round. Sure his speed is enticing. He was clocked at 4.34 in the 40-yard dash at the combine, but quick, shifty slot guys used to take a backseat to the bigger guys lined up on the outside.
Not anymore. Not with spread offenses all the rage, and with every-down slot receivers such as Wes Welker putting up 100-catch seasons on a regular basis.
The hint that maybe Austin will take the position to a higher level and his multifaceted role — which includes returning punts and occasionally lining up in the backfield — begins to justify why the Rams made such a heavy investment. They shipped a second-round pick to the Buffalo Bills and swapped first- and third-round picks.
It was a premium price, but Austin might be the NFL's most lethal neophyte playmaker. In trying to upgrade a 23rd-ranked offense, the Rams want more explosive plays.
Quarterback Sam Bradford says it has been "fun" to watch Austin after the catch.
"He's made some people look silly out here," Bradford said.
Speed is the ticket, but not only in a physical sense. His impact as a rookie will be influenced by how fast he can absorb the system. Besides quarterbacks, receivers traditionally have some of the toughest transitions from college, needing to adjust routes on the fly in the face of more complex defensive coverages.
Although receivers coach Ray Sherman raves about Austin's grasp of the playbook, it has undoubtedly been a process.
Austin recalls how overwhelmed he was when he first laid eyes on the playbook, which the Rams download to iPads and provide to players. If it wasn't the sheer volume of material, the terminology threw him for a loop.
"At first, I couldn't understand it," he said. "For a minute, I thought I had a learning disability. I couldn't pick it up.
"Now everything's clicking."
Sherman's tutoring and sessions with Bradford in Oklahoma helped.
"I've tried to learn what everybody is doing, not just my one position," he said. "If you know the whole scheme, it's easier."
Holt has seen it in practice. Austin is playing fast physically and mentally. He's also tending to details.
"If I've got an 18-yard curl route, make sure it's 18 yards," he said.
And if the defender can't catch him, even better.
