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Rams WR Tavon Austin takes snaps at running back

St. Louis may be adding a wrinkle to its offense by giving Austin some handoffs.

David Welker

St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin, the No. 8 pick in this year's NFL Draft, has been receiving some snaps at running back, per Joe Lyons of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Giving Austin some handoffs would add another layer to the Rams' offense for which opposing defenses would have to account. He ran a 4.34-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, so he'll obviously be one of the fastest players on the field in every game. Austin checks in at just 5'8, 174 pounds, but that speed could make him a dangerous backfield threat in certain situations.

Austin has experience playing running back from his time in college at West Virginia. He rushed for 1,031 yards and six touchdowns during his four years with the Mountaineers, including 643 and three in 2012. Against Oklahoma last season, Austin racked up an incredible 344 yards on 21 carries, an average of 16.4 yards per rush.

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