JaguarsTalk: Jacksonville Signs Undrafted Wide Receiver Kevin Austin Jr.
JaguarsTalk: Is this a sign from above?
Touchdown Jesus, towering over the north endzone of Notre Dame stadium, has his arms raised signaling every time Kevin Austin caught a home game touchdown pass for the Golden Domers. A bit of information that I’m willing to bet you guys care nothing about, is the fact that I got to see Austin haul in his longest career reception (46 yards) in 2021 against my beloved, but just plain awful, Virginia Tech Hokies (by god we miss you Frank). But, if we are being completely honest, I don’t remember much more about Kevin Austin Jr. so I had to dust off the ol’ Encyclopedia Britannica, Notre Dame offense volume, and get to learnin’.
At 6’2”, 215 lbs, Kev’s got some size to him, that appeals to the running game side of me. That’s a body that can put a beating on a DB in a blocking scenario. There are not many DB’s that outweigh Mr. Austin. In addition to his size and height, he’s sneaky speedy. Austin boasts a 4.43 40 yard dash, to create space while route running. Add to all of those attributes a 39” vertical and we may have a fade to the corner of the end zone specialist. I think the Jags may have added another “steal” to their list of 2022 draft thievery (stealing Devin Lloyd at the end of the first when most thought he was a top 10 guy, and stealing Chad Muma in the third when most suspected he would be off the board in the second round. I’ll say it again, if Travon Walker pans out then the Jags had a phenomenal draft. If Walker doesn’t pan out then it will certainly, and unfairly, take away from Jacksonville’s numerous excellent draft moves and acquisitions in 2022).
SI.com says that Kevin Austin Jr, is “a big-bodied and physical wide receiver who is great at catching the deep ball and makes a lot of contested catches. He is a very underrated prospect due to injuries in his career, but showed this past season that he can be a dangerous player and could end up being a middle-round steal in this draft.” Mic drop. I don’t need to even continue writing this column. That says it all. I will break down some pros and some cons and let you decide.
Pros:
Austin’s size puts him at a great advantage right out of the gate. He is a great contested ball receiver which will help Lawrence tremendously. When rushed and there is a need to get rid of the ball quickly, it would be nice to have a receiver you can count on to win the 50/50 balls. This will also come in handy down by the goal line. While his strong hands and physical play allow him to block out the defensive backs in order to make the catch, Austin also has the downfield speed to break away and get open. He is a deep ball receiver who will surprise defenses with how fast he is. He is also known for his smooth route running ability. He has good body movement and placement. Austin doesn’t have a lot of time under his belt, due to his main “con”, but because of that, he is a fighter. He plays to prove that he deserves to be out there. Austin gives 110% no matter what is asked of him. You won’t see him complaining on the sideline that he isn’t thrown to enough (think Odell Beckham Jr.). You won’t see him complaining about anything. He’s a leader and most importantly, a teammate, not an individual trying to pad his stats or amass followers on the Gram.
Cons:
The main knock against Kev is that he’s been injury prone. To be sure, this is exactly why he wasn’t drafted. Had this guy actually played all four years at ND, many pundits swear he would have gone in the middle to upper rounds. His injury issues, I feel, have created his other negatives. On the plus side, if he can stay healthy, these remaining negatives will become erased in short order. I am talking about things like blocking. Evidently he isn’t the most polished blocker though he gives it his all every time he is asked to do so. That’s easily fixed. Stay healthy and work with the coaches to become a better blocker. That’s just time and effort, he’s surely got the size and strength to dominate opponents when it comes to removing them from the play. SI.com says he is more pure speed than he is shifty and this leads to not getting open right away. Again, easily overcome. He doesn’t need to be shifty, with his physicality he can use those first five yards to block out the DB. Sounds to me like this guy would be perfect for a quick slant route. Not many DBs could fight through a 6’2” 215 lb physical receiver to negate such a quick pitch and catch.
My professional (I use that term very lightly) assessment is that Jacksonville scored a sleeper, but only under one condition, Austin must stay healthy. If the Jags can keep him upright then I think he will begin to pay dividends toward the end of this season in specific situations (goal line fades, short yardage slants, and stretching the defense). Come next year, well who knows what this kid will do once he’s had a full season of studying the ol’ Encyclopedia Britannica, Jacksonville offense edition.
I like this acquisition and I like what I have read about this guy’s football character, leadership, and willingness to learn. If you’ve heard the same, or different, or if you just want to say hello, as always feel free to comment below.