Inside Scoop: Tavon Austin's Chances of Making the Jaguars' Roster

Do the Jacksonville Jaguars have room for the former star Mountaineer?

Tavon Austin himself was worth the price of admission during his time at West Virginia. Not only did he finish his storied career as one of the best Mountaineers of all time but is considered to be one of the most exciting players in college football history.

Every time Austin touched the ball, people rose to their feet knowing something special had a chance of happening. He was so electric and dynamic with the ball in space and stressed out opposing defensive coordinators and head coaches on a weekly basis. Just ask Bob and Mike Stoops.

Following the 2012 season, Austin put on a show for the scouts at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis by running a 4.34 in the 40-yard dash and a 20-yard shuttle of 4.01 seconds. His performance at the combine led him to be selected 7th overall in the 2013 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams.

The biggest question surrounding Austin coming into the NFL was his size. At 5'8", 185 lbs, Austin was one of the smallest players in the entire league and many felt that alone would hinder him from ever being a top receiver in the NFL. Of course, the game has changed since he first came to the league and size is no longer a huge concern for teams but for whatever reason, Austin hasn't duplicated the success he had during his time at WVU in the NFL. 

After five seasons with the Rams, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys where some felt like his career would really take off. Instead, it was quite the opposite. In two seasons with the Cowboys (21 games), Austin caught 21 balls for 317 yards and three touchdowns. Over the last year, he has bounced from Green Bay to San Francisco to now Jacksonville. 

In the first preseason game against the Browns, Austin caught four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. Could the Jaguars be the right situation for Tavon? To answer that question, we brought in John Shipley of the Jaguar Report on Sports Illustrated.

"Tavon Austin has been spectacular since signing with the Jaguars as a free agent the day of their first scrimmage. He caught four touchdown passes in his first two practices and then caught one of the Jaguars' two touchdowns against the Browns in Week 1 of the preseason. Just taking into account what he himself can do, he has done everything he can to make an impression and find a spot. With that said, the Jaguars already seemingly have six receiver spots locked up with DJ Chark, Marvin Jones, Laviska Shenault, Collin Johnson, Phillip Dorsett, and Jamal Agnew, so it appears unlikely Austin makes the roster for Week 1. With that said, it wouldn't be surprising to see him be one of the first people the Jaguars call if they ever get injuries at the WR position."

Austin and the Jaguars will be back in action on Monday, August 23rd when they travel to New Orleans to take on the Saints. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. EST and can be seen on ESPN.

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