NFL player comparisons for Pittsburgh Steelers WR Calvin Austin III

Most likely NFL comparison: Tavon Austin

I hate to give the stereotypical size-speed comparison, but I think that Tavon Austin makes sense as the most likely NFL player comparison for Steelers rookie Calvin Austin for a number of reasons.

For starters, it’s hard to look past the similarities when it comes to their statures and elite testing numbers. More than that, however, I think their play styles are actually pretty similar if you go back to Austin’s college tape.

While Tavon comes with the dreaded ‘gadget’ label, this might be because the NFL just wasn’t ready for this type of player back in 2013, and perhaps Austin’s role would have been different if he was drafted today.

Still, I think Tavon is a more natural receiver than he’s given credit for. He can win from the slot and stretch the field vertically while also being a nightmare to track down in space. Calvin will probably never take as many snaps from the running back position, but Tavon has had a long, fairly productive NFL career and Calvin could prove to have a similar career path.

My hope is that Calvin Austin is close to Tyler Lockett as a player in the NFL, but we need to brace ourselves for the reality that his tiny frame could play a factor at the next level. It will be fun to watch his career unfold with the Pittsburgh Steelers.