What is Tavon Austin?

[Merlin]

I never said that. but is better to HAVE a #1 WR, than not..THAT is not BS.

I realize you didn't say that. It is a common assumption these days even though you see teams that have them not hoisting the Lombardi.

IMO it is a media and fan driven thing. So I find myself observing quite often that this league is about number of matchups.

Look at the GSoT and they had 4 legit matchups in Ike, Holt, Az, and Faulk. When you get to four most teams simply cannot contain it. That's where you want to be.

For us to be a good offense we will need 3. Tavon should be one of them too. Or so I hope.

 

[majrleaged]

Answer:

Decoy

Yes much of the game, but if he wasn't a threat it wouldn't work.

 

[Ram65]

Nobody says he is a number one. Jackson isn't either. What tevon is is a threat from any where on the field. McKay's statements are to expand how he is used so that the defence can't sit on bubble screens, jet sweeps, etc. He wants, and I think it is doable, to have tape of him being successful in all aspects of the offence so he and the whole offence becomes more dangerous. Just one or two deep completions to tevon changes opposing defences perception. The predictability in the way the rams have used him has also created yours and Eric davis's limited perception of tevon.

Right on. McVay has to mix his plays up. Sending him deep will help him and others in other passes. If anyone looks at the Jackson routes I posted early they could see Tavon running those routes.

If he scores 12 TDs and opens up things for others he will be worth it. I don't care how he scores or like 2 seasons ago, when every big Todd Gurely run he took linebackers or safetys out of the play . He will be worth it.

This is another area the Rams need to go back to. He really made defenses have to watch him and that gave Gurley a split second advantage that he capitalized on. Also, he made great runs out of the backfield himself.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Nobody says he is a number one. Jackson isn't either.

Jackson is as close to a number 1 as you need....damn near....so I'd say #1. Tavon isn't close...hell, I was telling a bunch Brice Brown can play...who's he you say? Well he went in the 6th or 7th round...coulda been a udfa...and is finally finding himself...point being...whoever drafted this guy doesn't have a clue about wideouts.

IMO it is a media and fan driven thing.

I still say, if Julio was used more in the superbowl, Falcons win that game easy.

 

[Loyal]

So if you could go back to the 1st Round of the 2013 NFL Draft, who would you pick now?
1. Tavon Austin
2. DeAndre Hopkins
3. Cordarrelle Patterson

 

[Ram65]

Jackson is as close to a number 1 as you need....damn near....so I'd say #1.

I really like Jackson and watched him since he was drafted. He isn't your go to #1 type WR. He is a big play WR. He has great YPCA but not the high number of catches. Surprisingly, he is not real high on TD catches either.

Just making observations here. Doubt I change any minds but, as stated before Tavon could play this roll in the new offense. I doubt he gets close to Jackson numbers. If he can get his YPCA up to 14 to 15 while catching 50-60 passes it would open things up for others. Add his running game plays and he can play a big roll in the Rams offense. He just to get more deep routes and passes.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Just making observations here. Doubt I change any minds but, as stated before Tavon could play this roll in the new offense. I doubt he gets close to Jackson numbers. If he can get his YPCA up to 14 to 15 while catching 50-60 passes it would open things up for others.

Jackson is really good at adjusting to the ball in the air....really nice hands...Tavon improves in this area, his YPC average should really rise.

 

[BonifayRam]

So if you could go back to the 1st Round of the 2013 NFL Draft, who would you pick now?
1. Tavon Austin
2. DeAndre Hopkins
3. Cordarrelle Patterson

I would select an OL'er who has:
3× Pro Bowl (2013–2015)
Second-team All-Pro (2014)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2013)
Started 55 games in 4 seasons
Went to the Pro Bowl playing RG then following yr @ RT.
Stands 6-6 320 pounds
Has also started @ LG post

 

[Loyal]

I would select an OL'er who has:
3× Pro Bowl (2013–2015)
Second-team All-Pro (2014)
PFWA All-Rookie Team (2013)
Started 55 games in 4 seasons
Went to the Pro Bowl playing RG then following yr @ RT.
Stands 6-6 320 pounds
Has also started @ LG post

lol..of course, but that wasn't the mindset back then. We needed an offensive playmaker, and had recently picked powerhouse LT Jason Smith wtf. I remember Tony Softli talking up Patterson before he got canned at 101ESPN, DeAndre Hopkins hasn't been an unqualified success, and neither has Tavon....Touch choice

 

[snackdaddy]

I see the "if" word being used too many times. If Tavon does this he'll be worth his contract. If Tavon does that he'll live up to his draft status. Bottom line is that he hasn't lived up to either one so far. All we have right now is hope that the new regime can help him reach the status of both his contract and draft position. At the moment, we just don't know if he will.

 

[BonifayRam]

lol..of course, but that wasn't the mindset back then. We needed an offensive playmaker, and had recently picked powerhouse LT Jason Smith wtf. I remember Tony Softli talking up Patterson before he got canned at 101ESPN, DeAndre Hopkins hasn't been an unqualified success, and neither has Tavon....Touch choice

Rams still have not lined up a offensive play-maker to date :sadwalk:, but we saw a few flashed from Gurley back in 2015.

Its obvious I did not like your 3 options Not all that hellbent to draft a OL'er with a Ram first round selection or in the top 10 any longer like I have been in years past but in the later third of the first round its not a real bad ideal either.Who would have thought that Chris's younger big brother would be a much better overall NFL player than him as a #2 overall.

In truth a WR selected in the top 10 is not that bad of a plan. The drafting of a WR was the right move for the right reason @ the wrong time (2013 draft).

 

[Ram65]

I see the "if" word being used too many times. If Tavon does this he'll be worth his contract. If Tavon does that he'll live up to his draft status. Bottom line is that he hasn't lived up to either one so far. All we have right now is hope that the new regime can help him reach the status of both his contract and draft position. At the moment, we just don't know if he will.

I don't think it's about contract or draft position. It's about helping the Rams win more games. Most if not all posters believe he was drafted too high. Most agree Rams seemed desperate to keep the limited offense Fisher had. They way overpaid him up front on the new deal. The question is: can he make enough of an impact to keep him at 9M per year after this year while helping the Rams win more games.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Tavon will have a pretty decent season this year (and decent will be the best of his career!) if he can show he can catch the ball and is not double teamed on passing downs.

I expect near 1000 yards if that happens.

 

[Mojo Ram]

If we selected our offensive personnel based on last year's offense, nobody would be back.

/thread

 

[jap]

Tavon has had his issues with route running and small hands. However, never ever neglect the fact that he has only enjoyed two! QBs with the arm strength and accuracy to find him deep. Sam the ex-Ram is the first of this duet, and his touch is not nearly as good as the second, Golden Boy Jared himself. Along with the small hands problem you have to factor in that Tavon is a little guy who is often going on short routes to handle passes from QBs who are not very accurate---guys who force him to slow up or stop completely to make a catch. What a luxury it will be to have a QB with the ability to consistently hit him in stride so he can continue flowing with that electric speed/quickness combo that is so devastatingly deadly!

I still do not understand all the brouhaha over whether Tavon is a legitimate #1 WR. He never was, and so what? He doesn't need to be! The Horns have stocked their offense with a number of offensive weapons now (e.g., Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, Todd Gurley, etc.) that are going to make it extremely tough for opposing DCs to key on Tavon like they have in the past. Get Tavon the rock with only one or two guys to beat, and I absolutely love! his chances of doing so. With Mike Thomas sidelined for at least four weeks, Tavon becomes the only legitimate downtown threat . . . at least until rookie WR Josh Reynolds grows into such a role. I want McVay to space out the defenders to give Tavon and Todd room to roam with their great broken field skills. Do so consistently enough and the value of Tavon to the Horns will become academic.

 

[PARAM]

You are making excuses. Ike Bruce would have been 10 x more effective than Austin as a #1 WR, last year. hell Az Hakim would have been much better. Austin is a GREAT gadget guy, and that's all he is to me.

No, I'm stating reality. Ike WAS 10 times the receiver Austin is. But still he and Torry and Az were not big guys and they were put in motion frequently to get a free release. Austin's problem isn't getting off the jam. His problem is/was a poorly designed offense that lacked creativity. They didn't utilize Tavon the way a well designed offense will. And still the guy had 15 offensive TDs the last 3 years (and 2 PR TDs). Those 17 scores lead the team over that span....and that was in a poorly designed offense.

Many are down on Tavon, mainly because they don't like the contract he got. But he is a weapon and could be a more dangerous weapon in McVay's offense.

 

[DCH]

Austin's problems are size, hand size, route running, ability to get off press coverage and short catch radius.

Other than that, he's fantastic. He's very fast, and with an accurate deep passer he can blow by his guy a few times a game and offer a true deep threat. Problem has been he struggles to haul in those deep passes consistently.

If the Rams develop someone who eats up the 10-20 yard area and forces the safeties to key in on him, Austin can be one of those guys who catches 3 or 4 balls a game for 100-ish yards and a score just by exploiting the deep field. But on his own, as the key focal point of the team, he can't thrive.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

Tavon is one bad motherfucker.

Time to unleash him properly onto the nfl.

.