Austin wins Johnny Rodgers award

West Virginia's Tavon Austin has been named winner of the Johnny Rodgers Award as the top return specialist in college football in 2012.

Austin was second nationally in all-purpose yardage and averaged 12.7 yards on punt returns and 25.4 yards on kick returns. He returned one punt and one kick for touchdowns. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound Austin is projected to be a first-round NFL draft pick as a receiver.

Rodgers announced Austin as the winner on Monday. The award is named for the 1972 Heisman Trophy winner from Nebraska who made his mark as a return specialist.

Austin will receive the award at an April 4 banquet in Omaha. Proceeds will benefit Rodgers' foundation, which works to keep at-risk youth on track to graduate from high school.