Bills add depth at cornerback with their final selection in this year’s draft
The Buffalo Bills closed out their 2023 NFL Draft by selecting Oregon State cornerback Alex Austin with the 252nd overall pick in Round 7.
The Bills have selected CB Alex Austin out of Oregon State with the 252nd overall pick in round 7. pic.twitter.com/F6nm9AFIit
— Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) April 29, 2023
Buffalo Rumblings’ analyst B.J. Monacelli had Alex Austin on his radar early on in the draft process, and shared the following information about him coming out of the 2023 NFL Combine:
“I thought Austin was the smoothest and most fluid defensive back I watched do drills at the combine. He never looks to be “trying hard” — it just comes easy for him. Austin’s transitions from backpedal to running are seamless. He is patient in man coverage and shows elite footwork in his technique. Not only was Alex Austin a starting cornerback for the Beavers, but he also played wide receiver and returned kicks. He has good size at 6’1” and arm length 31 7/8”. His football IQ appears above average on film and Austin seems to understand defensive concepts and how it relates to what the offense is trying to do. The downside is his speed, in that he only ran a 4.55 40-yard dash. Speed issues are less important at the safety position, but they are tough to hide at corner. Austin’s exceptional footwork and maneuverability within coverages should have plenty of teams interested in giving him a chance on Day 3. I certainly like what he has to offer.”
Monacelli also shared the following GIFs to help illustrate some of Austin’s on-field traits: