Top 30 Draft Selections in St. Louis Rams History

Dec 17, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) carries the ball for a touchdown in the second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

21. Tavon Austin, WR/PR, Round 1, Pick 8 Overall, 2013

It’s hard to argue that Tavon Austin has delivered the value over nearly three seasons that a wide receiver taken in the Top 10 should bring to a team, but then again, Austin is not a traditional receiver, and was never thought to be by anyone who paid attention. The over-drafting of Austin doesn’t negate the fact that he’s now perhaps the Rams’ most dynamic playmaker at age 24.

Austin has enjoyed his greatest success in 2015, accumulating 10 touchdowns (five as a receiver, four as a runner, and one as a punt returner) while racking up 1,060 all-purpose yards. To an extent, though, he’s been a powerful weapon in each of his three NFL seasons. He’s the first St. Louis Rams punt returner to run back touchdowns in three straight seasons, and that’s not even factoring in the numerous Austin punt returns that would have counted for TDs had they not been negated by penalties. And while Austin was inconsistent from scrimmage during his first two years as a pro, he still had a total of seven touchdowns, which was decent considering how inconsistent the offense was as a whole.

Austin still probably hasn’t reached his full potential–there’s so much more room for growth for him if he ever plays with a really talented, starting-caliber quarterback–but even now, he’s one of the best all-around playmakers that the Rams have ever selected.

Next: 20. Ryan Tucker