40 time: 4.50
Fifth/Sixth-Round
SNAPSHOT: After a quiet three years working his way up the depth chart and battling injuries, was finally able to put together a healthy season for the Fighting Irish, posting 48 catches, 888 yards, and 7 touchdowns. Now heads into the draft hoping to win over scouts with his impressive size/speed combo.
Strengths: An impressive frame with nice burst into his routes to create separation also has impressive physicality when it comes to handling contact in his routes. At the catch point, has nice size and catch radius to get up and high point the football, resulting in highlight-reel catches throughout his time at Notre Dame. With his size, gets downfield well, wouldn't fall under the "burner" category, but his size-speed combo should cause issues for defensive backs.
Weaknesses: Struggles when it comes to overall polish and that's where there could be issues for his transition to the NFL. While his size is nice, he needs to do a better job positioning himself for the football. When it comes to plucking passes, he can do it vertically but adjustments outside of his frame elsewhere leave much to be desired. Medicals could also be a major concern as he missed a large part of 2020 due to injuries.
PRO COMP: Josh Morgan, Retired - Like Austin, Morgan was a physical receiver who had speed as well. Morgan produced in a depth role but still added value for the 49ers for a few seasons.