WVU Wide Receiver Tavon Austin Makes ESPN Preseason All-America Team

West Virginia's Tavon Austin was named to ESPN's 2012 Preseason All-American team on Wednesday. With just one day before kickoff in the college season, the worldwide leader released All-American units for offense, defense, and special teams. Austin should enjoy another productive season as perhaps the most explosive player in the new Big 12. Here's what David Ubben had to say about the WVU senior claiming one of the two wide receiver spots:

Tavon Austin grabs the spot as the Big 12's most exciting player with the ball in his hands, and he plays in an offense built specifically for that. He caught 101 passes for 1,186 yards and eight scores for the Big East champion Mountaineers last season, but it's a whole new ballgame now. Austin will be playing in the Big 12, and he gets a chance to showcase his game on a bigger stage against better competition. His quarterback, Geno Smith, is the league's preseason Offensive Player of the Year and his coach, Dana Holgorsen, keeps referring to the Mountaineers star as someone who's special.

Joining Austin on the outside is Southern Cal wide receiver Robert Woods, Matt Barkley's top target and a likely top five draft pick next spring. No other Mountaineers made the team, but Austin's inclusion indicates that the national media is well aware of the potential on the offensive side of the ball, particularly playing in Dana Holgorsen's explosive system.

For more on the Mountaineers as the 2012 season gets underway, visit The Smoking Musket.