It’s fitting that West Virginia receiver Tavon Austin and former West Virginia defensive end Bruce Irvin have been going back and forth regarding whether Austin will be drafted higher than Irvin was a year ago.
For Austin, some perceive his over-under spot in round one to be pick 15. Which is the place at which the Seahawks picked Irvin in 2012.
Austin, we’re told, has been invited to the attend the draft. He has yet to decide whether to accept, possibly because there’s a chance he’ll slide. After all, some are troubled by Austin’s size.
Still, his quickness and elusiveness and unexpected straight-line speed have made him one of the potential impact players in the 2013 draft. Besides, didn’t we learn after Russell Wilson’s performance in 2012 that size truly doesn’t matter?
The Saints currently hold the 15th spot in the draft. While they are unlikely to pick Austin (then again, Drew Brees surely would love to have him), that would be the spot into which anyone picking after 15 would likely have to trade, because Austin’s floor very well could be the impact-player-challenged Rams at No. 16.