Pittsburgh Steelers fans anxiously anticipate the return of Calvin Austin III to the gridiron, especially after reports of exceptional performances during OTAs.
Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (#19) showcases his speed during the 2022 training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Austin was drafted in 2022 by the Steelers in the fourth round. He had strong training camp performances and fans were eager to see what he would do during the preseason. Unfortunately, the day before the first preseason game, Austin suffered an ankle injury. As is typical, the Steelers were a bit tight-lipped about the severity of the damage and there was some confusion as to whether he would return or not. Sadly for Austin, the Steelers, and the fans, the answer was no, his ankle required surgery and the injury was season-ending.
This left everyone with a lot of "what ifs" about Austin and musing about what could have been. Now he has recovered from the injury and is back working out with the team during OTAs. He is once again garnering attention. Even the Steelers' own Patrick Peterson, who has worked with some elite wide receivers during his time in the NFL, gave Austin high praise.
Peterson also has a podcast, All Things Covered, which he co-hosts with his cousin and former Steelers cornerback, Bryant McFadden. In a recent episode, he told a story of being burned by Austin during a drill, he just blew right past the future Hall of Fame corner.
When Mc Fadden said Austin might be the fastest receiver on the team, Peterson concurred.
"He might be? I'm already crowning him right now," Peterson retorted.
Photo Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers cornerback, Patrick Peterson sits down to sign his two-year contract with Pittsburgh at the team's facility.
Steelers' Calvin Austin III Is Going To Be A Nightmare To Cover According To Arthur Moats' Assessment
Now another former Steelers defender is praising Austin's abilities. Arthur Moats, who co-hosts a podcast, The Arthur Moats Experience, with his friend Deke, had a lot to say about what he has seen and heard and where he thinks Austin will play.
"I think early on, he will be more slot. He's undersized right now and you want to see what that does develop into. Speed is beautiful, speed kills at this level, but as we've talked about numerous times, you have to be able to beat press and that's something that we have to see him do consistently before you can try to put him on the outside."
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers second-year wide receiver George Pickens is expected to take a big leap in year two but will need Matt Canada to devise a plan that maximizes his talent for that to happen.
Moats said that because Austin is a bit smaller, 5'8" and 170 lbs, it will be harder for him to be on the outside. While he is fast, he doesn't have the height to get jump balls. If a defender gets their hands on Austin on the outside, where he has less help and will be a one-on-one match-up, it could be easy pickings. Defenders will catch on quickly to what Austin does according to Moats.
"You might catch a guy early on playing off coverage, you might catch a guy late with his hands, but after it's on tape once or twice, people are going to play that differently. If he doesn't develop an actual route tree off of that, then he's just a poor man's Mike Wallace or a poor man's Ted Ginn Jr."
While Austin was technically a pro last season, and that definitely gives him a leg up on the rookies coming in this year, he still did not play a single down of real professional football. Moats feels that once he gets going and has some playing time, he will rapidly improve.
"Think like George Pickens, by the end of the season was way nicer than Pickens at the beginning of the season. He was already nice at the beginning, but you could tell he has been in some battles, he had seen some different DBs, he had been attacked in different ways and he was a lot more polished."
Steelers.com
Pittsburgh Steelers former linebacker, Arthur Moats.
Moats also reminds fans, that while they may want to see the ball in Austin's hands a lot, they have to remember that it takes the ball out of another player's hands. With Kenny Pickett only going into his second season, Moats also expects that the team will try to continue to build upon their run game.
"Whether he produces or doesn't produce, that's a target that could have went to George Pickens, that's a target that could have went to Pat Freiermuth, that's a target that could have went to Darnell Washington, it could have went to Diontae [Johnson], [Allen] Robinson too."
How do you think Austin will play this year? What percentage of snaps do you think he will play? Will he leapfrog anyone else on the depth chart? Do you think he is 100% after his injury? Click to comment below.
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