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Bernie Miklasz
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The Rams have added a lightning bolt to their offense.
His name is Tavon Austin, the wide receiver, returner and all-purpose baller from West Virginia.
The Rams loved this guy all along and clearly were willing to be ultra aggressive to get him. As I wrote in my blog this morning: if you really want Austin, then have no fear _ move up and get the kid.
The Rams paid an exorbitant price, giving up the No. 16, No. 46, No. 78 and No. 222 picks overall in exchange for Buffalo's No. 8 overall pick (Austin) and the No. 71 selection.
I'm fine with that, especially since the Rams picked up two extra picks, including a third-rounder, to move out of the 22nd overall spot in trading places with Atlanta, which had the 30th overall choice.
Austin wasn't going to be available when the Rams picked at No. 16. And GM Les Snead didn't think some players that greatly interested the Rams — including guard Chance Warmack, safety Kenny Vaccaro, offensive tackle D.J. Fluker and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson — would be there, either.
And Snead was correct.
All of them were off the board before the No. 16 selection.
To get Austin, the Rams couldn't wait, because he almost certainly would have gone to the NY Jets in the 9th overall slot.
It was time for the Rams to take a gamble instead of holding back.
You need a playmaker? YES.
Are you convinced that Austin will dramatically alter your offense? YES.
Do you have anyone like him? NO.
Then go get him instead of playing it safe.
That's been the problem for too long at Rams Park. ... a conservative, cautious, methodical offense that lacks big-play dimension. The franchise drafted QB Sam Bradford 1st overall in 2010 and didn't put an elite playmaker with him — until now.
What will Austin do for the Rams?
Plenty:
He can catch it: last season at WVU, Austin had 112 receptions for 1,280 yards and 12 TDs.
He can run it: the Mountaineers installed a package of formations to put Austin in the backfield to get the ball in his hands in different ways. He rushed 73 times for 689 yards (8.9 average) and 3 T TDs.
He can return it: 32 kickoff returns for an average of 25.4 yards and 1 TD. And 15 punt returns for an 11-yard average and 1 TD.
That's 17 touchdowns scored in four different categories. He's fast and elusive. He has Marshall Faulk type moves. He is, to use the scouting vernacular, a "space" player. You can line him up anywhere. As the most explosive player in this draft, Austin must be accounted for, which will open room for other receivers.
And the Rams don't have a return man. They've been among the slowest, and worst, return teams in the league for many years. Austin fills two needs.
All of a sudden the Rams have an interesting mix of receivers for Bradford. There are two outside guys in Chris Givens and Brian Quick. There's a "joker" in Austin, who can be deployed in so many ways — out in space, in the slot, and in the backfield to jump on mismatch opportunities. They have the tight end/wideout hybrid, free-agent Jared Cook, who presents all kinds of matchup headaches for a defense.
Opposing teams at least have something to worry about now. And that's the point of this. You don't sit tight with an offense that scored only two quick-strike TDs last season. It was an offense that didn't have many breakout runs or field-stretching passes. In a pass-crazy league where teams are loading up with explosive players, the Rams were muddling along, grinding out yards, taking an average of 8.6 plays to kick a field goal or score a TD. Only four NFL teams had longer average scoring drives than the Rams in 2012.
Austin's short stature (just under 5-9) and slight frame (174 pounds) caused some Rams fans to freak out and start dispensing the whine.
Apparently these fine folks are unfamiliar with Steve Smith, Az Hakim, Wes Welker, Percy Harvin, Randall Cobb, DeSean Jackson, Darren Sproles, etc. A few smaller skill-position players have gotten banged up. And sure, Austin's durability is a concern.
But here are three points to consider:
A. Austin has never missed a game in high school or college.
B. Bigger players get injured, too.
C. Rules changes and commissioner Roger Goodell's hardcore emphasis on insulating receivers from head shots and cheap shots will offer the kind of protection to Austin that he wouldn't have gotten 10 years ago.
Smaller receivers/playmakers have flourished. I don't know why people keep telling me that DeSean Jackson is always hurt and an example of why it makes no sense to draft a smaller wideout. Huh? The dude has played in 71 of 80 possible games and didn't miss considerable time until 2012, when he played in 9 games. He's scored 29 TDs as a receiver, rusher and returner. He's made 280 catches and averaged 28 yards per kickoff return. And Harvin? His biggest problem has been extreme migraine headaches; that has nothing to do with his size.
And take a look at Welker's career numbers, and Smith's. I think you're familiar with the 5-9 Welker's machine-like receiving ability. Smith, a 5-9 wideout, missed one season with a torn knee ligament which can happen to any athlete. That was an isolated injury. Smith has spent 12 seasons in the NFL with Carolina, and he's played in 167 games, and he has nearly 12,000 receiving yards and 63 TD grabs. Take a look at what Cobb has done as a return man and wideout for Green Bay. Sorry, but this simply isn't the issue that some are making it out to be.
NFL offenses have evolved _ radically. A new style of football is lighting up stadiums. The myriad of personnel groupings, the creative formations, the sub packages, the ability to get defenses out of position, the thrust to find pressure points to take advantage of unfavorable matchups.
The NFL has taken a bold turn to unconventional offenses. All you have to do is watch San Francisco, Seattle, Carolina and Washington (to name a few) set up and go on the attack.
In case you hadn't noticed, the NFC West is loaded with playmakers. The Rams have finally joined the weapons buildup after lagging behind San Francisco, Seattle, Arizona.
In an era of unconventional offense, the Rams have landed the most unconventional and versatile piece available in this draft.
This is a different player for a different age of football.
In a related note ...
Here is Mel Kiper Jr's analysis of Austin and the Rams:
"Austin is the most explosive offensive weapon in this draft. He has an elite combination of quickness and top-end speed, with the ability to immediately get to full speed out of cuts. His versatility is also impressive. Austin can provide big plays at any point as a slot receiver, from the backfield and in the return game. He is undersized, but he is a tough player and proved durable during his four years at West Virginia.
"This is the ultimate space player who fills a tremendous need for the Rams' passing game. They lost Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson in free agency, but they do like Chris Givens on the outside as a vertical guy. They are hopeful that Brian Quick will be much more productive than he was a season ago. That leaves Austin to be a versatile guy out of the slot for a pass offense that loves to attack the middle of the field. Austin can also line up outside, and he can even give them some snaps at varied alignments. He can certainly improve the Rams' return game from last season. The Rams are desperately looking for explosive plays, and this guy provides them. St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford likes his receivers to be able to sight adjust on the snap, so Austin will need a quick learning curve to get on the same page."
Early-draft observations:
• Richardson (Gateway Tech, Mizzou) is an excellent fit for the New York Jets. The defensive tackle went 13th overall and will be joining a team that's weak at the position. The Jets have five DTs listed on their roster; the five have combined to start only 30 NFL games. And only one has started more than two games. Richardson has everything necessary to be a first-rate NFL defensive tackle, and he''ll get the chance to play immediately.
• Miami made the first splash in the draft pool by moving up nine spots to Oakland's No. 3 overall slot — then surprised the draftniks by choosing Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan instead of Oklahoma offensive tackle Lane Johnson. This makes sense provided that the Dolphins draft or acquire an OT later; perhaps they'll acquire Branden Albert from the Kansas City Chiefs ... Jordan has been compared to retired Dolphins pass rusher Jason Taylor; we'll see ... but if the kid can play, Miami will have two disruptive pass rushers (Cameron Wake, Jordan) to harass New England QB Tom Brady, and that's what this is all about. ... on ESPN Jon Gruden pretty much trashed Jordan, which is fine, except that Gruden rarely criticizes an NFL player when he's in the Monday Night Football booth for ESPN.
• The first seven picks: three offensive tackles, three edge rushers and a guard. ... Not much of a surprise given what's been happening in the NFL. This is a passing league. It's all about quarterbacks. Teams attacking quarterbacks. Teams trying to protect quarterbacks. And we'll see teams drafting receivers for quarterbacks. Including the Tavon Austin comet.
• Life is good for Alabama coach Nick Saban. He keeps winning BCS championships, and continues to develop first-round picks for the NFL, which only keeps his recruiting machine rolling. Alabama had three players chosen in the top 11 spots Thursday: CB Dee Milliner (NY Jets); Warmack (Tennessee); Fluker (San Diego.) That's 13 first-round picks of Alabama players in the last four NFL drafts. And as I type this there are still six picks to go in Round One.
— Bernie
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/bernie-rams-make-a-bold-beautiful-move/article_3e0d5b1b-eb31-5d42-891e-0367c31a055b.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/ ... a055b.html</a>
The Rams have added a lightning bolt to their offense.
His name is Tavon Austin, the wide receiver, returner and all-purpose baller from West Virginia.
The Rams loved this guy all along and clearly were willing to be ultra aggressive to get him. As I wrote in my blog this morning: if you really want Austin, then have no fear _ move up and get the kid.
The Rams paid an exorbitant price, giving up the No. 16, No. 46, No. 78 and No. 222 picks overall in exchange for Buffalo's No. 8 overall pick (Austin) and the No. 71 selection.
I'm fine with that, especially since the Rams picked up two extra picks, including a third-rounder, to move out of the 22nd overall spot in trading places with Atlanta, which had the 30th overall choice.
Austin wasn't going to be available when the Rams picked at No. 16. And GM Les Snead didn't think some players that greatly interested the Rams — including guard Chance Warmack, safety Kenny Vaccaro, offensive tackle D.J. Fluker and defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson — would be there, either.
And Snead was correct.
All of them were off the board before the No. 16 selection.
To get Austin, the Rams couldn't wait, because he almost certainly would have gone to the NY Jets in the 9th overall slot.
It was time for the Rams to take a gamble instead of holding back.
You need a playmaker? YES.
Are you convinced that Austin will dramatically alter your offense? YES.
Do you have anyone like him? NO.
Then go get him instead of playing it safe.
That's been the problem for too long at Rams Park. ... a conservative, cautious, methodical offense that lacks big-play dimension. The franchise drafted QB Sam Bradford 1st overall in 2010 and didn't put an elite playmaker with him — until now.
What will Austin do for the Rams?
Plenty:
He can catch it: last season at WVU, Austin had 112 receptions for 1,280 yards and 12 TDs.
He can run it: the Mountaineers installed a package of formations to put Austin in the backfield to get the ball in his hands in different ways. He rushed 73 times for 689 yards (8.9 average) and 3 T TDs.
He can return it: 32 kickoff returns for an average of 25.4 yards and 1 TD. And 15 punt returns for an 11-yard average and 1 TD.
That's 17 touchdowns scored in four different categories. He's fast and elusive. He has Marshall Faulk type moves. He is, to use the scouting vernacular, a "space" player. You can line him up anywhere. As the most explosive player in this draft, Austin must be accounted for, which will open room for other receivers.
And the Rams don't have a return man. They've been among the slowest, and worst, return teams in the league for many years. Austin fills two needs.
All of a sudden the Rams have an interesting mix of receivers for Bradford. There are two outside guys in Chris Givens and Brian Quick. There's a "joker" in Austin, who can be deployed in so many ways — out in space, in the slot, and in the backfield to jump on mismatch opportunities. They have the tight end/wideout hybrid, free-agent Jared Cook, who presents all kinds of matchup headaches for a defense.
Opposing teams at least have something to worry about now. And that's the point of this. You don't sit tight with an offense that scored only two quick-strike TDs last season. It was an offense that didn't have many breakout runs or field-stretching passes. In a pass-crazy league where teams are loading up with explosive players, the Rams were muddling along, grinding out yards, taking an average of 8.6 plays to kick a field goal or score a TD. Only four NFL teams had longer average scoring drives than the Rams in 2012.
Austin's short stature (just under 5-9) and slight frame (174 pounds) caused some Rams fans to freak out and start dispensing the whine.
Apparently these fine folks are unfamiliar with Steve Smith, Az Hakim, Wes Welker, Percy Harvin, Randall Cobb, DeSean Jackson, Darren Sproles, etc. A few smaller skill-position players have gotten banged up. And sure, Austin's durability is a concern.
But here are three points to consider:
A. Austin has never missed a game in high school or college.
B. Bigger players get injured, too.
C. Rules changes and commissioner Roger Goodell's hardcore emphasis on insulating receivers from head shots and cheap shots will offer the kind of protection to Austin that he wouldn't have gotten 10 years ago.
Smaller receivers/playmakers have flourished. I don't know why people keep telling me that DeSean Jackson is always hurt and an example of why it makes no sense to draft a smaller wideout. Huh? The dude has played in 71 of 80 possible games and didn't miss considerable time until 2012, when he played in 9 games. He's scored 29 TDs as a receiver, rusher and returner. He's made 280 catches and averaged 28 yards per kickoff return. And Harvin? His biggest problem has been extreme migraine headaches; that has nothing to do with his size.
And take a look at Welker's career numbers, and Smith's. I think you're familiar with the 5-9 Welker's machine-like receiving ability. Smith, a 5-9 wideout, missed one season with a torn knee ligament which can happen to any athlete. That was an isolated injury. Smith has spent 12 seasons in the NFL with Carolina, and he's played in 167 games, and he has nearly 12,000 receiving yards and 63 TD grabs. Take a look at what Cobb has done as a return man and wideout for Green Bay. Sorry, but this simply isn't the issue that some are making it out to be.
NFL offenses have evolved _ radically. A new style of football is lighting up stadiums. The myriad of personnel groupings, the creative formations, the sub packages, the ability to get defenses out of position, the thrust to find pressure points to take advantage of unfavorable matchups.
The NFL has taken a bold turn to unconventional offenses. All you have to do is watch San Francisco, Seattle, Carolina and Washington (to name a few) set up and go on the attack.
In case you hadn't noticed, the NFC West is loaded with playmakers. The Rams have finally joined the weapons buildup after lagging behind San Francisco, Seattle, Arizona.
In an era of unconventional offense, the Rams have landed the most unconventional and versatile piece available in this draft.
This is a different player for a different age of football.
In a related note ...
Here is Mel Kiper Jr's analysis of Austin and the Rams:
"Austin is the most explosive offensive weapon in this draft. He has an elite combination of quickness and top-end speed, with the ability to immediately get to full speed out of cuts. His versatility is also impressive. Austin can provide big plays at any point as a slot receiver, from the backfield and in the return game. He is undersized, but he is a tough player and proved durable during his four years at West Virginia.
"This is the ultimate space player who fills a tremendous need for the Rams' passing game. They lost Danny Amendola and Brandon Gibson in free agency, but they do like Chris Givens on the outside as a vertical guy. They are hopeful that Brian Quick will be much more productive than he was a season ago. That leaves Austin to be a versatile guy out of the slot for a pass offense that loves to attack the middle of the field. Austin can also line up outside, and he can even give them some snaps at varied alignments. He can certainly improve the Rams' return game from last season. The Rams are desperately looking for explosive plays, and this guy provides them. St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford likes his receivers to be able to sight adjust on the snap, so Austin will need a quick learning curve to get on the same page."
Early-draft observations:
• Richardson (Gateway Tech, Mizzou) is an excellent fit for the New York Jets. The defensive tackle went 13th overall and will be joining a team that's weak at the position. The Jets have five DTs listed on their roster; the five have combined to start only 30 NFL games. And only one has started more than two games. Richardson has everything necessary to be a first-rate NFL defensive tackle, and he''ll get the chance to play immediately.
• Miami made the first splash in the draft pool by moving up nine spots to Oakland's No. 3 overall slot — then surprised the draftniks by choosing Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan instead of Oklahoma offensive tackle Lane Johnson. This makes sense provided that the Dolphins draft or acquire an OT later; perhaps they'll acquire Branden Albert from the Kansas City Chiefs ... Jordan has been compared to retired Dolphins pass rusher Jason Taylor; we'll see ... but if the kid can play, Miami will have two disruptive pass rushers (Cameron Wake, Jordan) to harass New England QB Tom Brady, and that's what this is all about. ... on ESPN Jon Gruden pretty much trashed Jordan, which is fine, except that Gruden rarely criticizes an NFL player when he's in the Monday Night Football booth for ESPN.
• The first seven picks: three offensive tackles, three edge rushers and a guard. ... Not much of a surprise given what's been happening in the NFL. This is a passing league. It's all about quarterbacks. Teams attacking quarterbacks. Teams trying to protect quarterbacks. And we'll see teams drafting receivers for quarterbacks. Including the Tavon Austin comet.
• Life is good for Alabama coach Nick Saban. He keeps winning BCS championships, and continues to develop first-round picks for the NFL, which only keeps his recruiting machine rolling. Alabama had three players chosen in the top 11 spots Thursday: CB Dee Milliner (NY Jets); Warmack (Tennessee); Fluker (San Diego.) That's 13 first-round picks of Alabama players in the last four NFL drafts. And as I type this there are still six picks to go in Round One.
— Bernie
