Steelers All 90: WR Calvin Austin III

All 90 is a Pittsburgh Steelers Now series profiling each of the 90 members of the Steelers 2022 offseason roster.

19 • Calvin Austin III, rookie wide receiver, Memphis
5-foot-9, 162 pounds

Acquired: Selected by the the Steelers with the No. 138 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Last season: Played in 12 games for Memphis and set career highs in receptions (74), receiving yards (1,149), touchdowns (8) and scrimmage yards (1,218). He also returned five punts for 135 yards (a 27 yards per return average) and one touchdown.

College: Austin was a walk-on track athlete with the Tigers before earning a football scholarship. He was part of a school-record 4 x 100-meter relay team at Memphis.

After minimal use his first two seasons, Austin broke out in 2020, when he led the AAC in receiving yards (1,053) and touchdowns (11).

Camp outlook: Austin looks to be the heir apparent for the Steelers’ slot receiver role, but it’s not clear how fast that ascension will happen, as the team is also using Chase Claypool and George Pickens in a slot role. How quickly Austin absorbs the nuances of the slot role in Matt Canada’s offense and how he adjusts to the physicality and speed of the NFL will determine how quickly he becomes a big part of the Steelers offense.

Future: Austin signed a four-year rookie contract with the Steelers that will keep him in Pittsburgh through the end of the 2025 season. It will pay him $705,000 in salary this season.

The rest of the 90: