Kevin Austin has returned to the NFL inking a contract with the New Orleans per Adam Schefter. New Orleans and Birmingham seem to have some interesting ties this offseason, and it appears their front offices seem to look at players very similarly.
Austin’s Impact
Austin was not the focal point of the Stallions offense by a long shot, however, that doesn’t mean he was not a crucial part of their 3rd straight championship run. He was third in yards per catch on the team behind only Jace Sternberger and Marcus Baugh who both topped 18 yards per reception, (Baugh only had 4 receptions).
Playing in 10 games during the regular season Austin collected 15 receptions for 253 yards and 2 touchdowns. He did however rack up 7 tackles on special teams. The 6’2 200 pound wideout spent parts of two seasons, before joining the Stallions, with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was originally signed after going undrafted in 2022, catching just 1 pass in the preseason but was released and brought back on the practice squad.
Before 2023 he signed a futures deal and returned to the Jaguars. This game him a full offseason with the team to build on the 2022 season. Unfortunately, even after catching his first professional pass in the preseason, he was released in final cuts. As with most players, he didn’t immediately jump to his alternative options as he could have leaped to the CFL, instead, he sat out in 2023 and chose to pursue the UFL in 2024. Now he returns to an NFL training camp with a Championship win on his resume to go hand in hand with an impressive performance on special teams coverage units.
Austin is an elite athlete even at the NFL level. If he can put it together in New Orleans he could be a diamond in the rough. Keep in mind this is a guy who ran low 4.4s, had a 1.48 10-yard split, a 6.71 3-cone drill, 39-inch vertical, and an 11-foot broad jump, the explosive may as well be his middle name.
Draft Ties
With the UFL draft just concluding this past week the Stallions selected two players currently on the Saints roster: tight end Dallin Holker, and defensive end Trajan Jeffcoat. With Austin now headed there, the Stallions have a lot invested in potential Saints cuts come late August. The Stallions took an interesting approach to the UFL draft by selecting ten players set to go to camp with NFL teams.
I feel this is a brilliant draft strategy for a team that is not necessarily in need of a huge influx of talent immediately. I could see a scenario where most of this draft class doesn’t even see a UFL snap until late 2025, or maybe 2026. As of right now, the Stallions have lost just three players to NFL contracts. One of which may not affect the roster much depending on how chips fall. Dondrea Tillman’s signing with Denver would be a lot more detrimental if not for Yarbary’s possible return from injury.
This is essentially a calculated gamble by Zach Potter and Skip Holtz to bring in the best possible talent, even if it means waiting over a year for the player.
