Steelers ‘steal’ Calvin Austin III from Ravens, selecting WR just before Baltimore would have, per report
Written by ABC AUDIO ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on May 3, 2022
The Baltimore Ravens draft haul has been hailed as one of the best from this past weekend. But thanks to their biggest rival, Baltimore was not able to get one particular player they were hoping to select in the fourth round.
The Ravens were hoping to acquire former Memphis receiver Calvin Austin III with the 139th overall pick. But before they could, the Steelers drafted Austin with the 138th overall pick. Baltimore, who instead of drafting Austin selected former Penn State punter Jordan Stout with the 130th overall pick, settled on Coastal Carolina tight end Isaiah Likely with the 139th pick.
“Gotta be kidding me,” someone inside the Ravens’ draft room said after the Steelers drafted Austin, according to NBC Sports’ Peter King.
Instead of going to Baltimore, Austin is heading to Pittsburgh, who earlier in the draft added to their receiving corps by selecting former Georgia receiver George Pickens. While on the small side, the 5-foot-9 Austin is a speedy, explosive player who has the ability to make plays from both the slot as well as on the outside. He can also be a factor out of the backfield on jet sweeps and bubble screens.
“Calvin’s a smaller guy, a stop-start guy, punt return capable,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Calvin, who ran a 4.32 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. “It seems like, over the last several years, the offensive skill positions at Memphis, they’ve had a lot of dynamic playmakers, and he’s just the latest. We’re excited to add him.”
The Ravens did not draft a receiver despite trading Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals on the first night of the draft. In the trade for Brown, the Ravens acquired the 23rd overall pick, which they later traded to the Bills in exchange for the 25th and 130th overall picks. Baltimore selected former Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum with the 25th overall pick and Stout with the 130th pick.
Baltimore’s current receiving corps is led by Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, and James Proche II. The Ravens released 2019 third-round pick Miles Boykin earlier this offseason. Ironically, Boykin was quickly signed by the Steelers, who are hoping that Boykin can round out a receiving corps that also includes Austin, Pickens, Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool.
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