Tavon Austin gets ranked in the top-10 most overrated players list

[JKBOGEN]

Tavon was over rated at draft time. Now three years later, he's a wide receiver.

I guess he's going to carry the draft stigma with him his entire career.

I wont be giving back his touch downs, they're kinda important.


However @jakebogen95 .....I'd be careful with the "underutilized" comments. He led the team in targets last year with 86. There's been games where the Rams appeared to try and force him the ball too often. There has also been games where Tavon has simply been a Ram ornament on the sidelines. The problem we have been having is that he can be better utilized. As in....more effective. That lies on the guy calling the plays. He is not a prototypical reciever. Just adding him to the passing game has not worked. His route tree is limited. Developing plays for him has worked to a degree, but that only adds to the "gimmick" moniker he's given. They need to find a balance.

I wouldn't until he is leading the team in yards per catch...No excuse

 

[…..]

I wouldn't until he is leading the team in yards per catch...No excuse

Well thats not going to happen. Among wide outs, he had the lowest yards per catch on the team aside from Wes Welker.

 

[RamFan503]

especially considering that they moved up to pick him, over Hopkins. 8th overall is nearly Julio territory. You move up that far to get Julio production, or even Hopkins production.

We didn't move up to pick him over Hopkins. Hopkins went 27th. Make the case that we should have picked Hopkins - mokay but that is hindsight for most. We moved up to get the playmaker we wanted and that half the NFL seemed to covet at the time. TA may have been over valued in the draft but I just don't see him being overrated as a player. And comparing him to Harvin and saying that was what was expected? Hell - I'll even say that more was expected coming out of the draft.

The biggest differences I see is that TA has had no where near the QB play over his career and he is improving each year in spite of it while Harvin burst onto the scene with a HOF QB throwing to him and then started showing his true colors when he was relied upon as a #1 receiver. Once Rice was gone, Harvin was the #1 target. Can anyone really tell me that TA has ever been the #1 receiving target OR had a good QB situation?

To be overrated you have to be highly rated in the first place! Draft day was he overrated, sure you can make that argument, but I don't think its applicable today

And for all those arguing that we should have taken DeAndre Hopkins stop with the revisionist history. Almost everyone in the league passed on him he was barely a first round pick

Pretty much this^^^

 

[dieterbrock]

IMO, the poll needs an "All of the Above" option

 

[Zaphod]

He's both overrated and underrated by people expecting/wanting him to be our number one receiver, and that's the truth because Jake Chambers says so

The people who overrate him say that he's not used correctly or he's not getting enough receptions. The people who underrate him say that he's not a true wide receiver, doesn't run complete routes, isn't tall enough, etc ...

Well, guess what? He's an excellent asset to the team. He's our best returner, a nice addition as a wide receiver, and to our backfield. He's a great option to put into motion. But he's not our best route runner, and he probably never will be targeted as a top receiver on any team.

 

[DR RAM]

I'll just say this. Every team that we play has to game plan for him. Every team we play talks about him, and fears him. Teams punt away from him. He scored 9 TD's.

 

[Pancake]

People forget all the returns he's had called back. If those had stood he would be the top returner in the whole league just about. Plus the quality of QB play has held him and really the whole team back. Otherwise I think TA himeself has actually lived up to expectations. The QB, OL and OC not so much.

 

[rams24/7]

Overrated by who?

 

[OldSchool]

Overrated by who?

Did ya read the OP? Guessing no

 

[Sleepy1711]

Overrated? I'd rather play with him on my team then against him. Fun player to watch!

I'm sure the other teams D coordinator accounts for him every damn play. So lets give the kid a break.

 

[LesBaker]

People forget all the returns he's had called back. If those had stood he would be the top returner in the whole league just about. Plus the quality of QB play has held him and really the whole team back. Otherwise I think TA himeself has actually lived up to expectations. The QB, OL and OC not so much.

Always good to see ya 'cake..........hope all is well!

 

[snackdaddy]

I think we all wanted more out of him. The talent is undeniable. I imagine if he was a 4th round pick he'd be considered an underrated steal. He's the second most valuable offensive player behind Gurley.

 

[kurtfaulk]

Better yet, lets take aim at Snisher for "over drafting" them both?? Snead gets a pass on here for the most part and I don't think he is the mastermind some think he is.

/ Flamesuit on

Haha, don't you love it when people complain about a missed pick here and there, like every other team hits on every pick.

.

 

[jrry32]

I agree that Austin is overrated, especially considering that they moved up to pick him, over Hopkins. 8th overall is nearly Julio territory. You move up that far to get Julio production, or even Hopkins production. And how do we know that he is misused? He wasn't a polished receiver in college and the development of his route running while in the NFL, has been slow. Maybe their is a way to use Austin, and Rams coaching is just figuring that out but, stars shine on their own. If someone is really good it is not hard to see despite the team they are on.

This is most likely a prove it year for him and the Rams. His contract will be up and some other coach will be convinced that he can get more out of Tavon than the Rams did, and offer him more than the Rams want to pay.

In a different draft. Julio would have went top 3 in that draft, if not #1. Let's compare Julio's draft to Tavon's draft:
Julio
1. Cam Newton
2. Von Miller
3. Marcel Dareus
4. A.J. Green
5. Patrick Peterson
6. Julio Jones
7. Aldon Smith
8. Jake Locker
9. Tyron Smith
10. Blaine Gabbert
11. J.J. Watt
12. Christian Ponder
13. Nick Fairley
14. Robert Quinn
15. Mike Pouncey

Tavon
1. Eric Fisher
2. Luke Joeckel
3. Dion Jordan
4. Lane Johnson
5. Ezekiel Ansah
6. Barkevious Mingo
7. Jonathan Cooper
8. Tavon Austin
9. Dee Milliner
10. Chance Warmack
11. D.J. Fluker
12. D.J. Hayden
13. Sheldon Richardson
14. Star Lotulelei
15. Kenny Vaccaro

Yea, it's not really comparable. Those are two very different drafts. You have 2011 where every single non-QB drafted in the top 15 except Nick Fairley has gone to a Pro Bowl. You have 2013 where 10 or more out of the top 15 players are disappointments/busts.

 

[jrry32]

Better yet, lets take aim at Snisher for "over drafting" them both?? Snead gets a pass on here for the most part and I don't think he is the mastermind some think he is.

/ Flamesuit on

The guy convinced Jeff Fisher to trade up for Jared Goff. He's a fucking Jedi.

 

[Faceplant]

The guy convinced Jeff Fisher to trade up for Jared Goff. He's a freaking Jedi.

Well @jrry32 , I am ALL IN on our boy Jared Goff and a lot of that has to do with you pounding the table for him. I watched that Gruden camp and came away wishing to the football gods that we were in the top 2 picks. If Goff works out, Snead (and his hair) get my undying approval, haha.

 

[RamFan503]

Yea, it's not really comparable. Those are two very different drafts. You have 2011 where every single non-QB drafted in the top 15 except Nick Fairley has gone to a Pro Bowl. You have 2013 where 10 or more out of the top 15 players are disappointments/busts.

Certainly puts things into perspective. Yeesh!

 

[kurtfaulk]

In a different draft. Julio would have went top 3 in that draft, if not #1. Let's compare Julio's draft to Tavon's draft:
Julio
1. Cam Newton
2. Von Miller
3. Marcel Dareus
4. A.J. Green
5. Patrick Peterson
6. Julio Jones
7. Aldon Smith
8. Jake Locker
9. Tyron Smith
10. Blaine Gabbert
11. J.J. Watt
12. Christian Ponder
13. Nick Fairley
14. Robert Quinn
15. Mike Pouncey

Tavon
1. Eric Fisher
2. Luke Joeckel
3. Dion Jordan
4. Lane Johnson
5. Ezekiel Ansah
6. Barkevious Mingo
7. Jonathan Cooper
8. Tavon Austin
9. Dee Milliner
10. Chance Warmack
11. D.J. Fluker
12. D.J. Hayden
13. Sheldon Richardson
14. Star Lotulelei
15. Kenny Vaccaro

Yea, it's not really comparable. Those are two very different drafts. You have 2011 where every single non-QB drafted in the top 15 except Nick Fairley has gone to a Pro Bowl. You have 2013 where 10 or more out of the top 15 players are disappointments/busts.

I can't believe he tried to compare draft position. 2013 was one of the worst drafts ever.

.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I can't believe he tried to compare draft position. 2013 was one of the worst drafts ever.

.

I can't believe that are buying that crap. They could have stood on the pick and gotten Hopkins. Instead they move up to 8 and take Tavon with two picks. The Falcons moved up to 6 for Jones. The point was if you move that far up you expect more production regardless of the depth of the draft. Do you actually think that Fisher and Snead said, during the draft that, "this draft sucks so trading to 8 for a player is like getting 15th in another draft? That is ludicrous. They thought they were moving up for a very productive WR. Tory Holt was a 6th pick too. So far Tavons receiving skills aren't anywhere near Holt, Jones, or Hopkins. I clearly wasn't a fan of the move up to pick him. But, I will be happy if he proves me wrong.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

In a different draft. Julio would have went top 3 in that draft, if not #1. Let's compare Julio's draft to Tavon's draft:
Julio
1. Cam Newton
2. Von Miller
3. Marcel Dareus
4. A.J. Green
5. Patrick Peterson
6. Julio Jones
7. Aldon Smith
8. Jake Locker
9. Tyron Smith
10. Blaine Gabbert
11. J.J. Watt
12. Christian Ponder
13. Nick Fairley
14. Robert Quinn
15. Mike Pouncey

Tavon
1. Eric Fisher
2. Luke Joeckel
3. Dion Jordan
4. Lane Johnson
5. Ezekiel Ansah
6. Barkevious Mingo
7. Jonathan Cooper
8. Tavon Austin
9. Dee Milliner
10. Chance Warmack
11. D.J. Fluker
12. D.J. Hayden
13. Sheldon Richardson
14. Star Lotulelei
15. Kenny Vaccaro

Yea, it's not really comparable. Those are two very different drafts. You have 2011 where every single non-QB drafted in the top 15 except Nick Fairley has gone to a Pro Bowl. You have 2013 where 10 or more out of the top 15 players are disappointments/busts.

So Fisher and Snead traded up to 8th overall for a player that they knew would never come close to Julio Jones production? That makes no sense. They thought they were getting a future playmaker that would be a difference maker for them. They didn't think, well this draft sucks but we need a WR so let's trade up for a WR that would be a 16th overall pick in the 2011 draft. They were wowed by his athleticism and body control and thought he would become a great receiver, otherwise why trade up at all.