ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis rookie wide receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey received the lesson of a lifetime Thursday night. The two former West Virginia standouts got a 20-minute session with former Rams All-Pro Isaac Bruce following the team's regular two-hour practice session.
Bruce, who logged 15,208 receiving yards in his 16-year career, is in camp for a few days at the request of coach Jeff Fisher.
Bruce spoke at length with the pair and even got down in a stance and showed some of the techniques that made him one of the best receivers in the game. Austin and Bailey looked like wide-eyed children during the impromptu lessons peppering Bruce with one question after another.
Austin, the Rams' first-round selection and eighth overall choice, was thrilled to see Bruce. "I'm just glad to be able to learn from him," Austin said. "Pick his brain. I asked him, "What can I do better? And he was happy to help.
"It's something I'll never forget -- that he wanted to help me."
Austin and Bailey have performed well during training camp. The two are roommates for the next couple weeks, and they have been learning from each another on and off the field.
Austin, 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds, is expected to play an integral role on offense and special teams. So far, he has had no trouble grasping the Rams' complicated offense.
"We've asked him to do a lot, putting him inside and in the slot," St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford said. "And he's handling everything really well."
Bailey was chosen in the third round, 92nd overall. A more conventional receiver, he caught 114 passes last season.
The two were friends throughout their careers in Morgantown. Both are pleased to continue that relationship on the professional level.
"We're doing pretty well so far, just kind of leaning on each other," Bailey said.
The pair shined on Thursday. Austin caught a pair of deep throws from Bradford that drew cheers from a crowd of 1,128. Bailey chipped in with two nifty short grabs.
"We've been dealing with each other for so long, he's kind of like a brother to me," Bailey said. "It's a luxury for us to be on the same team. Stuff like that doesn't happen very often."
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press
