When Texas offered safety Tyler Owens after the Plano East standout put on a show at UT’s Stars At Night camp in late July, Owens’ immediate reaction was that he really liked the offer, but he wanted to wait a while and take some visits to his top schools.
Schools. Plural
As it turns out, Owens needed only one visit before he was ready to make up his mind. Last weekend, Owens made his way back to Austin to watch Texas defeat USC. Two days later, he informed the Texas staff he wanted to be a Longhorn and Owens went public with his commitment on Monday
A fantastic athlete at 6-2 and 200 pounds, Owens put on a show at UT’s July camp, performing well in one-on-ones, winning the fastest man competition and participating in the slam dunk contest. It wasn’t a fluke performance for Owens, who has been clocked as low as 4.31 in the 40-yard dash and has turned in a personal best of 10.34 in the 100-meter dash.
When Texas did offer in July, Owens was pretty open that there was something different about having the opportunity to play for the Longhorns.
“All of (the offers) are special to me, but Texas feels at home,” Owens said. “The coaches, they bond with the players. I see they have a lot of fun when they’re over there, but they also get better. I feel like it would be a good home for me.”
Owens is being recruited as a safety but has said he could also slide down to linebacker if needed. Owens is equally comfortable in playing against the pass or coming downhill to defend the run, and his combination of size and speed make him an intriguing prospect at the next level.
“A lot of focus has been placed on several other more well-known names when it comes to the defensive backs that Texas has been recruiting to this point in 2019, but they got a good one in Tyler Owens,” said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Nick Krueger. “Considering how the Longhorns have been relying on their defensive backs to primarily defend at the second level, more guys like Owens - that might be tweeners elsewhere - are a perfect fit in Todd Orlando's defensive scheme.
“In watching how Owens has played this season, I think that the most distinctive thing about him is his pursuit and his effectiveness as a hitter. He's patient in letting things develop in front of him, picks out his moment and closes hard to shut down a play. In pass coverage, I think he'll need to continue working on processing things a little bit quicker, but he picks up his own slack in that regard with his athleticism.
“Owens seems to fit the same bill that DeMarvion Overshown did from last year's class as they continue to find players in that mold. Whether or not Texas continues to pursue many more defensive backs in this year's class, Owens should have a specific role that suits him well in the Longhorns' defense.”
A three-star prospect, Owens held offers from the likes of Nebraska, Baylor, K-State, Houston, Illinois and Missouri.
He becomes the Longhorns’ 17th commitment of the 2019 class and UT’s second commitment in a span of eight days, joining running back Derrian Brown, who committed last weekend. Owens is Texas’ fourth defensive back commitment in the class.
Schools. Plural
As it turns out, Owens needed only one visit before he was ready to make up his mind. Last weekend, Owens made his way back to Austin to watch Texas defeat USC. Two days later, he informed the Texas staff he wanted to be a Longhorn and Owens went public with his commitment on Monday
A fantastic athlete at 6-2 and 200 pounds, Owens put on a show at UT’s July camp, performing well in one-on-ones, winning the fastest man competition and participating in the slam dunk contest. It wasn’t a fluke performance for Owens, who has been clocked as low as 4.31 in the 40-yard dash and has turned in a personal best of 10.34 in the 100-meter dash.
When Texas did offer in July, Owens was pretty open that there was something different about having the opportunity to play for the Longhorns.
“All of (the offers) are special to me, but Texas feels at home,” Owens said. “The coaches, they bond with the players. I see they have a lot of fun when they’re over there, but they also get better. I feel like it would be a good home for me.”
Owens is being recruited as a safety but has said he could also slide down to linebacker if needed. Owens is equally comfortable in playing against the pass or coming downhill to defend the run, and his combination of size and speed make him an intriguing prospect at the next level.
“A lot of focus has been placed on several other more well-known names when it comes to the defensive backs that Texas has been recruiting to this point in 2019, but they got a good one in Tyler Owens,” said Rivals.com recruiting analyst Nick Krueger. “Considering how the Longhorns have been relying on their defensive backs to primarily defend at the second level, more guys like Owens - that might be tweeners elsewhere - are a perfect fit in Todd Orlando's defensive scheme.
“In watching how Owens has played this season, I think that the most distinctive thing about him is his pursuit and his effectiveness as a hitter. He's patient in letting things develop in front of him, picks out his moment and closes hard to shut down a play. In pass coverage, I think he'll need to continue working on processing things a little bit quicker, but he picks up his own slack in that regard with his athleticism.
“Owens seems to fit the same bill that DeMarvion Overshown did from last year's class as they continue to find players in that mold. Whether or not Texas continues to pursue many more defensive backs in this year's class, Owens should have a specific role that suits him well in the Longhorns' defense.”
A three-star prospect, Owens held offers from the likes of Nebraska, Baylor, K-State, Houston, Illinois and Missouri.
He becomes the Longhorns’ 17th commitment of the 2019 class and UT’s second commitment in a span of eight days, joining running back Derrian Brown, who committed last weekend. Owens is Texas’ fourth defensive back commitment in the class.
