Mountaineers in the Pros
Pair of Mountaineer Legends to Represent WVU at NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
Only 70 miles south, WVU will be represented at the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. Even though West Virginia is lacking a potential early-round pick this year, a couple Mountaineer legends will offer WVU fans in attendance a reason to cheer nonetheless.
Pat McAfee and Tavon Austin will both walk on stage to announce second round draft picks, with McAfee revealing the Indianapolis Colts’ selection and the Austin showing up for the Los Angeles Rams.
Pat McAfee was one of the top kickers and punters in the Big East Conference, as well as the nation, from 2005-08. The native of Plum, Pennsylvania, handled the team’s punting, kickoff, extra point and field goal duties. During his career, McAfee was named a CBSSports.com First Team All-American, Walter Camp Football Foundation Second Team All-American, Associated Press Third Team All-American, Ray Guy Award finalist, Lou Groza Award semifinalist and played in the Under Armour Senior Bowl.
McAfee was a four-time bowl winner: 2006 Sugar, 2007 Gator, 2008 Fiesta and 2008 Car Care. He set the WVU career records for most games played (51), scoring (384), kick scoring (384) and extra points made (210), was third in punting average (43.7) and field goals made (58) and eighth in number of punts (126). He held the Big East records for most extra points made, was second on the all-time scoring list, second in punting average and third in field goals made. At the conclusion of his career, he was tied for 22nd in overall scoring and 16th among kickers in NCAA history.
Courtesy of WVU Athletics
McAfee was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He made two Pro Bowl appearances, was an All-Pro in 2014 and played in Super Bowl XLIV in his rookie year during an eight-year NFL career.
McAfee retired from football in 2017. He has hosted The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, is an analyst on College GameDay and is a color commentator and occasional wrestler for the WWE. In high school, McAfee was first team all-conference at Plum High and ranked as the No. 1 kicker in the nation by Scout.com. He was the 2003 national Punt, Pass and Kick champion and won the One-on-One kicking competition in Miami with a 65-yard field goal. McAfee was a three-time first team All-WPIAL in soccer. McAfee and his wife, Samantha, have one child, Mackenzie, and live in Indianapolis.
Tavon Austin:
Originally drafted by the then St. Louis Rams, Austin put up strong numbers being used as a wide receiver/running back hybrid his first three seasons in the NFL, but a change in the offensive scheme when the Rams hired current head coach Sean McVay led to a disappointing 2017 season.
Austin was then traded to Dallas the following season, but only started three NFL games since leaving St. Louis. All three of those games came with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he caught 24 passes for 213 yards. He spent time on the Bills’ practice squad and joined the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks in 2023.
Courtesy of WVU Athletics
Austin was a star at WVU from 2009-12, accumulating 4,446 scrimmage yards throughout his four years in Morgantown. Austin’s WVU highlight tape is what he will always be remembered for from his college days. The Baltimore native was untouchable when he was in the open field. Austin scored 15 touchdowns his senior year.
Austin is WVU’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards and the only player in college football history to score a touchdown on a run, catch, punt return and kick return in the same season.
For a related story, WV Sports Now was there to cover WVU’s Pro Day in early March.
