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The Buffalo Bills have closed out the 2023 NFL Draft with one final selection near the end of the seventh round at No. 252 overall, with another cornerback joining the team. Oregon State’s Alex Austin had his name called by the team as the Bills made their sixth and final pick of the draft.
The Bills acquired this pick in a trade back with the Los Angeles Rams, in which the team also acquired a 2024 6th rounder.
Austin is a very smart football player with good height (6’1”), who plays with a significant amount of physicality as an outside corner. Austin would have been selected much higher if he was a better athlete, but that’s truthfully the biggest struggle with his game, as he’s not fluid, loose, or fast. That will cause him problems in man coverage at the next level.
CB Alex Austin
— Valentin (@ScoutValentin) April 18, 2023
Good explosiveness, fluid mover and nice footwork in short perimeters.
Lacks of speed recovery and that's why i have concerns with his press coverage. I see the potential but i think he could be better in Zone Coverage, better fit for his ball skills.
R4 talent pic.twitter.com/qxFw1NmvgT
He’s a bit clunky, but you love the ball production that Austin had in a Power Five conference with 10 passes defensed and two interceptions as a senior. He has the spacial awareness you look for in a corner to play heavy zone defense and the ball production to show effectiveness as a playmaker despite limited athleticism.
Look for Austin to compete for a spot on the back of the roster as a player with a high floor and low ceiling.
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