Steelers NFL Draft bio in brief: Calvin Austin III
Calvin Austin III
Fourth-round pick, No. 138 overall
Wide receiver, Memphis
5-foot-8, 170 pounds
Stats: Aggregate 2020-21, Austin had 137 catches for 2,202 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns in 23 games. Adding in a rushing touchdown and two more on punt returns, he had 22 touchdowns over his final 23 college games.
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.
Tidbits: Speed is Austin’s defining trait — his time in the 40-yard dash at the combine (4.32-seconds) was the fifth-fastest among all players, the third-fastest among wide receivers. … A true proverbial workout warrior: Austin’s 6.65-seconds run in the three-cone drill was the best among all receivers at the combine (fourth-best among all positions), his broad jump of 135 inches was second-best among all players and his 39-inch vertical leap was tied for the third-best by a receiver. … Former walk-on to his hometown FBS school, bypassed in recruiting because of his diminutive size. … Ran track in college and was a four-event all-American Athletic Conference honoree in 2018. Austin was also part of an All-America 400 relay team in 2019. … By 2021, though, Austin was a two-time all-conference selection for football, the Tigers’ leading receiver in both seasons after having more of a bit role in 2018 and 2019. The 2019 Memphis team played in the Cotton Bowl against Penn State. …. Returned 25 punts the past two seasons, averaging 12.9 yards with two touchdowns.
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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