The University of Memphis has a strong recent track record of producing talented wide receivers, including Anthony Miller, Damonte Coxie, Phil Mayhue, Keiwone Malone, and more. Yet only Miller made it to the NFL.

Calvin Austin III will easily be the next great receiver to come out of Memphis and make a name for himself in the NFL. While he’s only listed at 5’9″ and 162 pounds, he’s one of the best receivers in the country and one of the top speedsters in the country. Austin ran track for Memphis in his first three years and helped break all kinds of records in the 4x100m relay and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the relay two years in a row.

He also finished seventh in the 60-meter dash and sixth in the 200-yard dash at the American Athletic Conference indoor championships in 2019. This dude can FLY.

Austin had a breakout year in 2020, finishing as one of 11 wide receivers to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the season. Austin was eighth in the country with 1,053 yards and sixth in the country with 11 receiving touchdowns.

Austin exploded onto the scene last year when he had at least 100 receiving yards in five consecutive games, which amounted to 731 yards (146.2 yards per game!).

With Brady White moving on from the program after last year, some wondered how Austin would do with a new quarterback chucking passes at him. Now that Seth Henigan is the Tigers’ starting quarterback, Austin has been even better than last year.

The Memphis native is on pace to break some records this year. Through the first three games, he has 21 catches (tied for 14th in the country), 391 receiving yards (third in the country), and six touchdowns (tied for the most in the country with Kayshon Boutte). He also leads all wide receivers with 498 all-purpose yards, which includes 107 punt return yards.

Keep in mind – he has touched the ball 23 TIMES this season.

After his first game against Nicholls in which he registered six catches for 47 yards and a touchdown, Austin has arguably been the best receiver, and frankly the best all-purpose player, in college football. He had another six catches in the next game against Arkansas State, this time for a career-best 239 yards and three touchdowns. Last week, he put up nine catches for 105 yards and another two touchdowns. If he didn’t play against Nicholls, he would STILL be in the top 10 in the country in receiving yards and in the top three for touchdowns.

One of his best traits is just how smart of a football player he is. Although the play shouldn’t have counted for multiple reasons, Austin picked up a punt on a play that hadn’t been blown dead yet and ran it back for a score. There was a ref that was starting to call for the clock to stop, and two Memphis players on the field were wearing No. 4, so the play should not have counted. But the touchdown still stands.

Austin has game-breaking speed and is lethal with his cuts with the ball in his hands. He has fantastic hands and is very cautious of where his defender is, which is usually well behind him. Despite his shorter stature, he can catch over defenders and is a great option to run a fade in the back of the end zone.

There really aren’t many players that can defend him. He is must watch television, and Austin is going to be a star for the rest of the season and at the next level.