Austin Deculus

Austin Deculus is a competent American professional footballer born on March 12th, 1999, and primarily plays as an offensive tackle for the esteemed National Football League team, the New Orleans Saints. His unique journey from a college footballer to an NFL professional represents a perfect combination of determination, hard work, and an unending will to improve.

Born and bred in Mamou, Louisiana, Austin spent his childhood in Cypress, Texas. He was one of the star players at Cy-Fair High School, where his punishing displays on the offensive line began to attract attention. His athletic prowess and on-the-field intelligence saw him ranked as the No. fifth offensive tackle prospect by ESPN when he was leaving high school, an acknowledgment of his potential.

The year 2017 marked a crucial transition for Austin as he enrolled at LSU and started playing collegiate football. As a freshman, he featured in every match out of all 13 games on special teams, despite being injured twice. His football journey was a challenging one, punctuated with injuries and setbacks, but he wouldn’t let any of them stop him from achieving his dreams.

By his sophomore year in 2018, he earned his first start as a left tackle after a game against Southeastern Louisiana. He soon shifted to playing as a right tackle and retained this position for the rest of the season. His experience and prowess progressed steadily, completing the year with a staggering total of 827 snaps, including all 86 in the Fiesta Bowl.

2019 marked a significant leap in Austin’s career, as he was declared as the “most improved” offensive lineman at LSU. He played in 13 games and missed only two due to injuries despite his exceptional performance. In the illustrious Tigers’ national championship victory over Clemson, Austin played every snap, toiling tirelessly to a total of 885 snaps throughout the enjoyment-filled and victorious season.

Austin carried his winning streak to 2020 when he participated in all ten games as a right tackle, receiving due recognition when he named to the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll. This was an icing on the cake as it showcased his perfect blend of academic excellence with his on-field performances.

In the year 2021, Austin, taking full advantage of an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, played for the Tigers as he entered his fifth playing year. He featured in 12 games, playing a total of 829 snaps and recorded his single college football tackle in a nail-biting match against UCLA.

The year 2022 was a dream come true for Austin as his outstanding talents got recognized by the Houston Texans during the sixth round of the NFL draft. He got selected with the 205th overall pick. His LSU teammate, Derek Stingley Jr., had been taken by the Texans in the first round of the draft.

On August 29th, 2023, Austin was released by the Texans but subsequently got re-signed to the practice squad. However, come September 30th, he received a call-up to the active roster yet again only to be waived off on November 11th. Only two days later, on November 13th, 2023, he was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets, only to be let go again on August 27th, 2024.

However, on August 29th, 2024, Austin finally found a sense of belonging as he was signed to the New Orleans Saints practice squad, signifying a new chapter in his professional NFL career.