A 2022 fourth-round pick, Austin didn't play at all his rookie season and then caught just 17 passes in 2023, before taking a big step last year with a 36-548-4 receiving line on 58 targets. At 5-foot-9, 162, he's one of the smallest players in the NFL but also one of the fastest (4.30 40). Austin was largely limited to three-wide sets last year, taking 52.4 percent of his snaps from the slot, and that may be the case again in 2025 even though the Steelers have poor depth at wide receiver. They swapped out George Pickens for DK Metcalf, leaving Austin to compete with Roman Wilson, Robert Woods, Scotty Miller and others for the Nos. 2 and 3 WR spots. But they also traded for TE Jonnu Smith, which likely means more two-TE sets with Pat Freiermuth and fewer snaps for Austin. Even if Austin locks down a regular role, there's no guarantee of increased target volume, as he's unlikely to be an every-down player or see a lot of passes in a run-first offense under Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
