Alex Austin, CB Oregon State: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Austin was a three-star recruit from Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, Calif. in the class of 2019

Oregon State cornerback Rejzohn Wright attended the Senior Bowl and captured headlines early in the draft cycle, but his teammate Alex Austin is starting to pick up steam. Austin could be an early Day 3 selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

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Alex Austin, CB Oregon State: 2023 NFL Draft Profile

Background: Austin was a three-star recruit from Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, Calif. in the class of 2019. He was the No. 1,767 recruit according to 247Sports and No. 1,669 for On3.com. Austin was an unranked three-star recruit for Rivals. He was an unranked three-star recruit for ESPN with a 74 grade out of 100. Austin committed to Oregon State over offers from Colorado State, Hawaii, San Jose State, Wyoming, and other non-Power Five programs. Over his final two seasons at Long Beach Polytechnic, Austin amassed 60 tackles and 14 passes defensed. He also played wide receiver and returned kicks and punts. Austin was one of 44 players selected for USA Football’s U.S. Under-19 National Team that competed in the 2018 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Championship in Mexico City. The California native also participated in high school track and field, competing in the 100m and 200m sprints.

2022 Production: 12 games, 57 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 2 interceptions, 10 passes defensed, 1 defensive touchdown

2021 Production: 13 games, 48 tackles, 0.5 tackle for loss, 2 interceptions, 7 passes defensed

2020 Production: 7 games, 29 tackles, 0.5 tackle for loss, 1 fumble recovery, 2 passes defensed

2019 Production: 3 games, 7 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass defensed (Redshirt Year)

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed one game in 2022, partnered with Access Scholarships and Hirect to create the Alex Austin Overcoming Adversity Scholarship

Awards: 2020 Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll, 2021 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12, 2022 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12

Pros: Quick feet, low backpedal, limited to no hip tightness, ball production, speed to carry receivers vertically, sticky on vertical routes, nice recovery speed, athleticism to mirror receivers early in the route, gets in phase early when lined up along the LOS in man and stays in phase, skillful soft shoe press coverage, great timing to make contact at the catch point, excellent at crowding receivers and forcing incompletions with timing and physicality at the catch point, willing tackler, closing speed, willing to come downhill and assist in run defense, challenges blockers

Cons: Lacks diverse college special teams experience, 13 penalties in the past two years, adequate but not elite arm length, not sudden or twitchy, loses balance occasionally, possible ankle stiffness, change of direction skills and short-area agility don’t allow him to stick to wide receivers consistently, wish he closed on comeback routes a step faster, quick to declare hips which allows WR to cross his face and make him turn his back, gets grabby when receivers make sharp cuts, not aggressive with the receiver at the release or throughout the route, doesn’t attempt to jam opponents, floats in zone coverage, tackling form leads to missed tackles, struggles to separate from wide receiver blocks

Overview: Austin is unofficially listed at 6'1", 191 lbs. He aligned to the right side of Oregon State’s defense as an outside corner in 2022, regardless of which side was to the field or the boundary. Austin performed better in coverage when lined up over the wide receiver along the line of scrimmage in soft shoe press than when playing off man or zone. He has quick feet, a low backpedal, and little to no tightness in his hips. The former three-star recruit has plus ball production over the past two years. His speed allows him to carry receivers vertically. Austin is sticky on these vertical routes and showcases nice recovery speed. He has the athleticism to mirror receivers early in the route. It’s hard to shake Austin when he gets in phase early in plays, which usually happens when he’s lined up along the line of scrimmage. The California native is excellent at crowding receivers and forcing incompletions with timing and physicality at the catch point. He’s a willing tackler with impressive closing speed. Austin is willing to challenge blockers or come downhill and assist in run defense. He lacks diverse college special teams experience and committed 13 penalties in the past two years. Austin has adequate but not elite arm length and isn’t a sudden or twitchy athlete. He might suffer from ankle stiffness, which causes him to lose his balance occasionally and struggle to change directions. Austin’s change of direction skills and short-area agility don’t allow him to stick to wide receivers consistently, especially on comeback routes. At the top of routes, it takes Austin one too many steps to halt his momentum and change directions. The receiver doesn’t generate a large amount of separation in these instances, and Austin is quick to get back into the play. However, Austin’s lack of twitch and agility limitations create windows for quarterbacks in these moments and prevent the All-Pac-12 honorable mention from being a truly sticky corner. He’s quick to declare hips which allows wide receivers to cross his face and make him turn his back. Austin gets grabby when he struggles to follow receivers making sharp cuts. He’s not aggressive with the wide receiver early in the route and rarely attempts to jam or disrupt the offensive player. Austin floats in zone coverage at times. There were several plays against USC where he gave wide receivers significant space, but Oregon State’s defensive line forced Caleb Williams to roll to his right, challenging the left side of the Beavers’ defense instead of Austin on the right side. The cornerback is a willing tackler, but his tackling form leads to missed opportunities. Austin struggles to separate from wide receiver blocks.

Overall, Austin excels in soft shoe press coverage thanks to his hip fluidity, speed, and ability to mirror routes early in the play, but he struggles to carry receivers through sharp cuts. An NFL team that likes Austin’s tools could take him as high as the fourth round, but his change of direction skills and the separation he got away with allowing in college could become issues at the next level.

Role & Scheme Fit: Field corner in a man-heavy scheme

Round Projection: Late Fourth to Early Fifth

Player Comparison: N/A

Submitted: 02-22-23