Thomas Austin (American football)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Austin is an American football
guard
for the Houston Texans
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings
as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football
at Clemson
.
He has also been a member of the New England Patriots
.
in Camden, South Carolina
, where he played every position along the offensive line. He was a four-year letterman in football, and played on the AAA state title team as a freshman offensive tackle. He was an all-county, all-region, and all-area selection as a junior and senior. As a senior, he was named the top offensive lineman in South Carolina by The State. He was also named to all-state teams by The State, High School Sports Report, and SCVarsity.com. He was the upstate Lineman of the Year as a senior, and a Shrine Bowl starter at offensive tackle. Rivals.com
rated him among the top ten Shrine Bowl players, and as the No. 20 offensive guard in the nation and the ninth best prospect in South Carolina.
He was also a three-year letterman in wrestling
in high school, posting a 66-4 career record. He won the AAA state title as a junior and was a state finalist and North/South All-Star as a senior.
over Maryland
, Penn State
, South Carolina
, Vanderbilt
, and Wake Forest
. He redshirt
ed as a freshman in 2005 and was named the offensive scout team
player of the year by the Clemson coaching staff. In 2006, Austin played 177 snaps, posting 22 knockdown blocks and three intimidation blocks. As a sophomore in 2007, he started 12 games, including four at right guard and eight at center. He led the team in knockdown blocks with 90 and in offensive snaps with 780. He was twice named Atlantic Coast Conference
Offensive Lineman of the Week and was an honorable mention sophomore All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com.
In 2008, as a junior, Austin started 13 games and was three times named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, while leading his team with 98 knockdown blocks. He was named to the All-ACC second team as a center after the season. In 2009, Austin started every game again as a senior co-captain, and was named to the All-ACC second team for a second straight season, this time as a guard. He was also named a third team All-American by Sporting News, and led his team with 112 knockdown blocks in 2009.
, Austin signed with the Minnesota Vikings
on April 24, 2010. He was waived by the team during final cuts on September 4, 2010.
signed Austin to their practice squad on September 29, 2010. He was re-signed to a future contract on January 20, 2011. He was waived on September 3.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
for the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Clemson
Clemson Tigers football
The Clemson Tigers football team is an American football team from Clemson University in South Carolina. It competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
.
He has also been a member of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
.
Early years
Austin attended Camden High SchoolCamden High School (Camden, South Carolina)
Camden High School, is located in Camden, South Carolina and is one of three high schools in the Kershaw County School District. It is the second largest high school, with around 1,036 students and is home of the Camden High School Bulldogs. Camden High School is located in the heart of the city of...
in Camden, South Carolina
Camden, South Carolina
Camden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...
, where he played every position along the offensive line. He was a four-year letterman in football, and played on the AAA state title team as a freshman offensive tackle. He was an all-county, all-region, and all-area selection as a junior and senior. As a senior, he was named the top offensive lineman in South Carolina by The State. He was also named to all-state teams by The State, High School Sports Report, and SCVarsity.com. He was the upstate Lineman of the Year as a senior, and a Shrine Bowl starter at offensive tackle. Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
rated him among the top ten Shrine Bowl players, and as the No. 20 offensive guard in the nation and the ninth best prospect in South Carolina.
He was also a three-year letterman in wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
in high school, posting a 66-4 career record. He won the AAA state title as a junior and was a state finalist and North/South All-Star as a senior.
College career
Austin chose to attend Clemson UniversityClemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
over Maryland
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, Penn State
Penn State Nittany Lions football
The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...
, South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks football
The South Carolina Gamecocks football team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college football. The Gamecocks have been a member of the Southeastern Conference since 1992. Steve Spurrier is the current head coach, and the team plays its home games at Williams-Brice...
, Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
, and Wake Forest
Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team represents Wake Forest University in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest plays its home football games at BB&T Field....
. He redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
ed as a freshman in 2005 and was named the offensive scout team
Scout team
In sports, the scout team, also referred to as a practice team, taxi squad, practice squad or practice roster, is a group of players on a team whose task is to emulate future opponents for the featured players. Frequently used in American or Canadian Football, these teams consist of less...
player of the year by the Clemson coaching staff. In 2006, Austin played 177 snaps, posting 22 knockdown blocks and three intimidation blocks. As a sophomore in 2007, he started 12 games, including four at right guard and eight at center. He led the team in knockdown blocks with 90 and in offensive snaps with 780. He was twice named Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Offensive Lineman of the Week and was an honorable mention sophomore All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com.
In 2008, as a junior, Austin started 13 games and was three times named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week, while leading his team with 98 knockdown blocks. He was named to the All-ACC second team as a center after the season. In 2009, Austin started every game again as a senior co-captain, and was named to the All-ACC second team for a second straight season, this time as a guard. He was also named a third team All-American by Sporting News, and led his team with 112 knockdown blocks in 2009.
Minnesota Vikings
After going undrafted in the 2010 NFL Draft2010 NFL Draft
The 2010 NFL Draft was the 75th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. Unlike previous years, the 2010 draft took place over three days, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, with the first round on Thursday, April 22, 2010, at 7:30 pm...
, Austin signed with the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on April 24, 2010. He was waived by the team during final cuts on September 4, 2010.
New England Patriots
The New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
signed Austin to their practice squad on September 29, 2010. He was re-signed to a future contract on January 20, 2011. He was waived on September 3.