Calvin Austin II scouting report: 2022 NFL Draft Prospect
Wide Receiver, Memphis Tigers # 4
Measurements
5’9” / 162 lbs.
40 Time: He claimed to have ran a 4.38 in high school.
Calvin Austin NFL Draft Player Profile
Calvin Austin III is a former 3-star recruit out of Harding Academy in Memphis, Tennessee. Not only was he a star on the football team, he was also a star for the track and field team. He wasn’t just a standout, he was a 9-time state champion. Meanwhile, when he stepped on the football field he was able to use his speed to his advantage. Austin was a swiss army knife for Harding Academy’s football team.
He played wide receiver, running back and even played cornerback. Although his snaps were divided, his stats were very impressive. According to MaxPreps, he played a total of 31 games and racked up a total of 3,492 all purpose yards. He ran the ball a total of 41 times and rushed for 558 yards for 8 touchdowns. When he was lined up at wide receiver, he made a total of 74 receptions for 1,513 yards and 24 touchdowns.
College
Memphis WR Calvin Austin
It took a few years for Austin to get adjusted to college football. However, since he made the adjustment, he has been a primary weapon for the offense. During his 2020 season, Austin was able to rack up a total of 63 receptions for 1,053 yards and 11 touchdowns. To give you a better idea of how good he is at moving the chains, that is an average of 16.7 yards per catch. To go even further into detail, 17.5% of his receptions were for touchdowns. Having a percentage that is that high is very impressive.
Although the 2020 season was very impressive, his 2021 season is what is giving him national recognition. Going into this season, Austin III was on the preseason watchlist for the Maxwell Award and Biletnikoff Award. In this season he had 74 total receptions for 1,149 yards and 8 touchdowns. Although his yard per catch average went down slightly, his stats show that he was a way better playmaker.
Strengths
Elusiveness
When watching his film throughout his career at Memphis, I couldn’t help but be blown away by his shiftiness. One game in particular where I was impressed by his shiftiness was against Houston. This game in general was impressive to me because of who he had lined up opposite of him whenever he was on the field. This player being Marcus Jones, who has been a top defender for Houston this season. Being able to shake a defender like Jones can be very difficult because of his own shiftiness. However, from what I saw in this game, Austin was able to prevail most of the time.
If Austin is able to transfer his elusiveness to the NFL, I think he will have a solid career. In order for Austin to play to his strengths, I would recommend that he starts off as a rotational slot receiver. This would keep the defense on their toes and would make the offense more versatile.
Athleticism
Memphis WR Calvin Austin
Given his history of being a track and field star it is obvious that his athleticism is off the charts. Not only is he good at shedding tackles and shaking defenders as I noted earlier, he is also very quick in a straight line. I love his ability to use his elusiveness to shed defenders and then use his straight-line speed to leave them in the dust. However, his straight-line speed isn’t the only thing that makes him athletic. His ability to rise up and make a play on a ball that is overthrown is very impressive for his size. Personally, I think that his skills will translate to the NFL nicely. The only thing I have a concern with is how it will hold up against NFL caliber defenses.
Run After Catch
One of the biggest mistakes that an opposing defense can do is give Austin space in the open field. When Austin sees green grass in front of him, it is hard to stop him from getting there. In order for this to be the most effective in the NFL, he needs a QB who will be able to hit him in stride. With his speed, if a QB can hit him in stride it is almost guaranteed to be a big gain. He also has very good field vision and awareness. When a defender is around him, it looks like he knows what they are going to do before they do. Being able to breakdown a defender like that is as big reason why I am very impressed by his game.
Weaknesses
Size
Memphis WR Calvin Austin
As I noted earlier, Austin currently measures at 5’9” and weighs in at 162 lbs. Although this nimble frame allows him to be very elusive, it could be the cause of some injuries down the road. Considering Austin is seen as a smaller wide receiver, I would recommend that he plays as a slot receiver. With this being said, he will run many routes up the middle of the field. Being this small and running routes up the middle of the field can be dangerous because of the linebackers and safeties lurking. I fear that Austin will not have the potential of being a starter unless he puts on another 20 lbs. or so. If he is able to put on weight, specifically muscle, he will have a better chance of taking big hits.
Calvin Austin III Draft Stock
Personally, I am very high on Austin’s game and will be a fantastic addition to any NFL team. With that being said, due to his size and frame, he will likely be a 3rd-4th round draft pick. If he falls into the 4th round, as a GM I would jump on drafting him because of the upside that he has.
Final Thoughts on Calvin Austin Scouting Report
Overall, Calvin Austin III is a very underrated receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft class. His ability to extend plays is very impressive given the fact that he struggles to break tackles. Personally, I think he would be a good fit for any team. However, I would love to see him as a rotational slot receiver for a team that has an established QB. A team that comes to mind is a team like the Rams or Falcons.
Player Comparison
One can’t help but think of DeSean Jackson. But when watching his film, he reminded me of a player I was very high on coming out of college last year. This player is Jaelon Dardon who had a fantastic career at North Texas.
Calvin Austin III scouting report by Matthew Lewis.
