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Jersey Number 18
Tyler Owens
- Position:
- Defensive Back
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Super-Senior
- Hometown:
- Plano, Texas
- High School:
- Plano East
2023 SEASON (SUPER SENIOR)
Closed his collegiate career by appearing in 10 games for the Red Raiders … made nine starts between his spot at safety and the “star” position in Texas Tech’s defensive scheme … lone game to not start defensively was versus TCU … missed three games due to injury, which came early in the season versus Tarleton State as well as the final two contests of the regular season versus UCF and Texas … ranked eighth on the team with 37 tackles (30 solo), including 1.0 for a loss … added two pass breakups in the secondary … made at least two tackles in all 10 games and had four or more stops in four different contests … credited with 570 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus, which ranked tied for seventh on the team … marked the most snaps in a season of his collegiate career … mainstay on special teams due to his athleticism, appearing in 83 total snaps on the kickoff, punt return, punt coverage and field goal block units … targeted 28 times on passes, according to PFF, with 16 of those going for completions … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: began the season with two tackles and a pass breakup at Wyoming (9/2) followed by five stops against Oregon (9/9) … returned from injury to post three tackles in the Big 12 opener at West Virginia (9/23) … reached double digits for tackles for the first time the next week in the win over Houston (9/3), finishing with 10 stops … shared the team high for tackles versus the Cougars for the first time in his career … combined for six stops the next two weeks with two at Baylor (10/7) and four versus Kansas State (10/14) … added final pass breakup of the season at BYU (10/21) to go along with two tackles … came off the bench for five tackles, including one for a five-yard loss early in the third quarter … recorded two stops in each of his final two games as a Red Raider at Kansas (11/11) and in the Radiant Technologies Independence Bowl versus Cal (12/16) … AWARDS AND HONORS: preseason candidate as part of the Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list … ALL-STAR GAME INVITATIONS: played in both the Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl following the season … NFL COMBINE: one of three Red Raiders to be invited to the NFL Scouting Combine … impressed all in attendance with a 12-2 leap in the broad jump that was one inch short of the combine record set by Byron Jones in 2015 … was only the second broad jump of 12-0 or better in the history of the combine … finished 10 inches better than any other defensive players in attendance … also led all safeties with a 41-0 inch vertical, which ranked tied for eighth among all participants ... 2024 NFL DRAFT: signed as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Commanders organization immediately following the draft.
2022 SEASON (SENIOR)
Appeared in 12 games with two starts during his first season as a Red Raider … key member of the secondary and on special teams … his two starts came during Big 12 play at Oklahoma State and in the TaxAct Texas Bowl victory over Ole Miss … missed only the West Virginia game due to injury … totaled 19 tackles (14 solo) to go along with an interception, a blocked kick, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup … majority of his production came late in the season during Big 12 play and in the bowl win … led the team with five tackles on special teams with three coming on kickoff duty and the other two as part of punt coverage … credited with playing in 239 snaps defensively by Pro Football Focus and an additional 159 on special teams … ranked fifth on the team for special teams snaps as a regular member of the kickoff, punt return and punt coverage units … graded out a 71.5 on special teams by PFF, which ranked third on the team among players with at least 100 snaps, trailing only Tyrique Matthews and Keyon Blankenbaker … received a 71.3 overall defensive grade by PFF, which was eighth on the team among those with at least 100 snaps … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: began his career with one tackle and a blocked kick against Murray State (9/3) … got his hands to deflect a Murray State punt in the fourth quarter, causing it to only go 33 yards … credited with one tackle in three other games – at N.C. State (9/17), versus Texas (9/24) and at Kansas State (10/1) … made his first start as a Red Raider and the second of his career at Oklahoma State (10/8) … suffered an injury against the Cowboys that kept him out for the West Virginia victory … had three tackles and a season-high two pass breakups prior to that injury … combined for six tackles over the remainder of regular season with two at TCU (11/5) and four at Iowa State (11/19) … also forced a fumble at Iowa State that was recovered by the Cyclones … earned the start in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, setting a new career high with six tackles while making his first career interception … forced a key fumble early in the fourth quarter on one of those tackles, hitting Ole Miss’ Dayton Wade over the middle to knock the ball loose for Isaac Smith to recover … interception came on the Rebels’ final offensive play with him stepping in front of pass in the end zone … SENIOR DECISION: elected to return to the Red Raiders for a super senior season in 2023 for the extra year of eligibility afforded by the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
PRIOR TO TEXAS TECH
Transferred to Texas Tech after playing three seasons at the University of Texas … will have two seasons of eligibility remaining as well as a redshirt opportunity … arrived on campus ahead of spring practices for the 2022 football season … saw action in 27 games with one start in the secondary during his career as a Longhorn … totaled 12 tackles during that span (nine solo) to go along with 0.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a punt block … ironically, had success against his new school, posting two tackles and a blocked punt in three career games versus the Red Raiders … 2021 SEASON (JUNIOR): appeared in five games overall, logging two solo tackles, which came against Rice (9/18) and against his new team in Texas Tech (9/25) … also saw action in games against Arkansas (9/11), TCU (10/2) and Oklahoma (10/9) … 2020 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): inserted into nine games during his COVID-shortened sophomore campaign … totaled two tackles on the season, including one assisted stop that went for a loss … added a pass breakup in the secondary and made a key blocked punt against Texas Tech (9/26) … blocked punt was returned for a touchdown by Jahdae Barron early in the third quarter … blocked punt halted some early momentum for the Red Raiders, who had cut their deficit to 31-28 less than two minutes earlier … two tackles came against UTEP (9/12) and again versus Baylor (10/24), the final one coming at a loss … 2019 SEASON (FRESHMAN): appeared in 13 games as a true freshman while making one start in the secondary … credited with eight tackles on the year (six solo) after contributing primarily on special teams … made the lone start in his Texas career late in the season at TCU (10/26) … recorded at least one tackle in six different games … set career highs with two tackles at Rice (9/15) and against the Horned Frogs … also made stops versus Louisiana Tech (8/31), at West Virginia (10/5) and against both Oklahoma (10/12) and Texas Tech (11/29).
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Plano East High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex … considered one of the top high school defensive backs in the country prior to signing with Texas … helped lead Plano East to an 8-3 overall record, including a 5-2 district mark, as a senior in 2018 en route to an appearance in the Class 6A Division I playoffs … named a first team All-District 9-6A selection after recording 67 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions and eight pass breakups as a senior … pulled in a key interception against Prosper to help Plano East start its season at 5-0 overall … tabbed a preseason candidate for the top defensive players in the DFW area by the Dallas Morning News in 2018 … was a third team Super Team honoree and a top-30 defensive back selection by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football prior to that season … previously registered 56 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, an interception and four pass breakups as a junior … collected 21 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss and a fumble recovery as a sophomore in 2017 … helped push Plano East to a 6-5 overall record and an appearance in the Class 6A playoffs in 2016 … member of the track and field program at Plano East, competing in several of the sprinting events … part of a 4x200m relay team that was clocked at 1:25.71 to set a new school record … timed at 10.35 in the 100-meter dash during prep career as well … consensus four-star prospect by the likes of Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … ranked No. 239 nationally, No. 21 in Texas and No. 21 among safeties by Rivals … listed at No. 76 nationally, No. 13 in Texas and No. 5 among safeties by 247Sports … labeled the No. 41 player in Texas, the No. 55 player in the region and the No. 25 player at safety nationally by ESPN … was ranked No. 33 by the Austin American Statesman Fab 55 for the 2019 class … an honor roll student in high school.
PERSONAL
Tyler Owens … son of Ed and Deborah Owens … enjoys fishing and drawing in his spare time … has four siblings … a university studies major at Texas Tech.
Closed his collegiate career by appearing in 10 games for the Red Raiders … made nine starts between his spot at safety and the “star” position in Texas Tech’s defensive scheme … lone game to not start defensively was versus TCU … missed three games due to injury, which came early in the season versus Tarleton State as well as the final two contests of the regular season versus UCF and Texas … ranked eighth on the team with 37 tackles (30 solo), including 1.0 for a loss … added two pass breakups in the secondary … made at least two tackles in all 10 games and had four or more stops in four different contests … credited with 570 defensive snaps by Pro Football Focus, which ranked tied for seventh on the team … marked the most snaps in a season of his collegiate career … mainstay on special teams due to his athleticism, appearing in 83 total snaps on the kickoff, punt return, punt coverage and field goal block units … targeted 28 times on passes, according to PFF, with 16 of those going for completions … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: began the season with two tackles and a pass breakup at Wyoming (9/2) followed by five stops against Oregon (9/9) … returned from injury to post three tackles in the Big 12 opener at West Virginia (9/23) … reached double digits for tackles for the first time the next week in the win over Houston (9/3), finishing with 10 stops … shared the team high for tackles versus the Cougars for the first time in his career … combined for six stops the next two weeks with two at Baylor (10/7) and four versus Kansas State (10/14) … added final pass breakup of the season at BYU (10/21) to go along with two tackles … came off the bench for five tackles, including one for a five-yard loss early in the third quarter … recorded two stops in each of his final two games as a Red Raider at Kansas (11/11) and in the Radiant Technologies Independence Bowl versus Cal (12/16) … AWARDS AND HONORS: preseason candidate as part of the Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list … ALL-STAR GAME INVITATIONS: played in both the Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine Bowl following the season … NFL COMBINE: one of three Red Raiders to be invited to the NFL Scouting Combine … impressed all in attendance with a 12-2 leap in the broad jump that was one inch short of the combine record set by Byron Jones in 2015 … was only the second broad jump of 12-0 or better in the history of the combine … finished 10 inches better than any other defensive players in attendance … also led all safeties with a 41-0 inch vertical, which ranked tied for eighth among all participants ... 2024 NFL DRAFT: signed as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Commanders organization immediately following the draft.
2022 SEASON (SENIOR)
Appeared in 12 games with two starts during his first season as a Red Raider … key member of the secondary and on special teams … his two starts came during Big 12 play at Oklahoma State and in the TaxAct Texas Bowl victory over Ole Miss … missed only the West Virginia game due to injury … totaled 19 tackles (14 solo) to go along with an interception, a blocked kick, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup … majority of his production came late in the season during Big 12 play and in the bowl win … led the team with five tackles on special teams with three coming on kickoff duty and the other two as part of punt coverage … credited with playing in 239 snaps defensively by Pro Football Focus and an additional 159 on special teams … ranked fifth on the team for special teams snaps as a regular member of the kickoff, punt return and punt coverage units … graded out a 71.5 on special teams by PFF, which ranked third on the team among players with at least 100 snaps, trailing only Tyrique Matthews and Keyon Blankenbaker … received a 71.3 overall defensive grade by PFF, which was eighth on the team among those with at least 100 snaps … SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: began his career with one tackle and a blocked kick against Murray State (9/3) … got his hands to deflect a Murray State punt in the fourth quarter, causing it to only go 33 yards … credited with one tackle in three other games – at N.C. State (9/17), versus Texas (9/24) and at Kansas State (10/1) … made his first start as a Red Raider and the second of his career at Oklahoma State (10/8) … suffered an injury against the Cowboys that kept him out for the West Virginia victory … had three tackles and a season-high two pass breakups prior to that injury … combined for six tackles over the remainder of regular season with two at TCU (11/5) and four at Iowa State (11/19) … also forced a fumble at Iowa State that was recovered by the Cyclones … earned the start in the TaxAct Texas Bowl, setting a new career high with six tackles while making his first career interception … forced a key fumble early in the fourth quarter on one of those tackles, hitting Ole Miss’ Dayton Wade over the middle to knock the ball loose for Isaac Smith to recover … interception came on the Rebels’ final offensive play with him stepping in front of pass in the end zone … SENIOR DECISION: elected to return to the Red Raiders for a super senior season in 2023 for the extra year of eligibility afforded by the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
PRIOR TO TEXAS TECH
Transferred to Texas Tech after playing three seasons at the University of Texas … will have two seasons of eligibility remaining as well as a redshirt opportunity … arrived on campus ahead of spring practices for the 2022 football season … saw action in 27 games with one start in the secondary during his career as a Longhorn … totaled 12 tackles during that span (nine solo) to go along with 0.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a punt block … ironically, had success against his new school, posting two tackles and a blocked punt in three career games versus the Red Raiders … 2021 SEASON (JUNIOR): appeared in five games overall, logging two solo tackles, which came against Rice (9/18) and against his new team in Texas Tech (9/25) … also saw action in games against Arkansas (9/11), TCU (10/2) and Oklahoma (10/9) … 2020 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): inserted into nine games during his COVID-shortened sophomore campaign … totaled two tackles on the season, including one assisted stop that went for a loss … added a pass breakup in the secondary and made a key blocked punt against Texas Tech (9/26) … blocked punt was returned for a touchdown by Jahdae Barron early in the third quarter … blocked punt halted some early momentum for the Red Raiders, who had cut their deficit to 31-28 less than two minutes earlier … two tackles came against UTEP (9/12) and again versus Baylor (10/24), the final one coming at a loss … 2019 SEASON (FRESHMAN): appeared in 13 games as a true freshman while making one start in the secondary … credited with eight tackles on the year (six solo) after contributing primarily on special teams … made the lone start in his Texas career late in the season at TCU (10/26) … recorded at least one tackle in six different games … set career highs with two tackles at Rice (9/15) and against the Horned Frogs … also made stops versus Louisiana Tech (8/31), at West Virginia (10/5) and against both Oklahoma (10/12) and Texas Tech (11/29).
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Plano East High School in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex … considered one of the top high school defensive backs in the country prior to signing with Texas … helped lead Plano East to an 8-3 overall record, including a 5-2 district mark, as a senior in 2018 en route to an appearance in the Class 6A Division I playoffs … named a first team All-District 9-6A selection after recording 67 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions and eight pass breakups as a senior … pulled in a key interception against Prosper to help Plano East start its season at 5-0 overall … tabbed a preseason candidate for the top defensive players in the DFW area by the Dallas Morning News in 2018 … was a third team Super Team honoree and a top-30 defensive back selection by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football prior to that season … previously registered 56 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, an interception and four pass breakups as a junior … collected 21 tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss and a fumble recovery as a sophomore in 2017 … helped push Plano East to a 6-5 overall record and an appearance in the Class 6A playoffs in 2016 … member of the track and field program at Plano East, competing in several of the sprinting events … part of a 4x200m relay team that was clocked at 1:25.71 to set a new school record … timed at 10.35 in the 100-meter dash during prep career as well … consensus four-star prospect by the likes of Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN … ranked No. 239 nationally, No. 21 in Texas and No. 21 among safeties by Rivals … listed at No. 76 nationally, No. 13 in Texas and No. 5 among safeties by 247Sports … labeled the No. 41 player in Texas, the No. 55 player in the region and the No. 25 player at safety nationally by ESPN … was ranked No. 33 by the Austin American Statesman Fab 55 for the 2019 class … an honor roll student in high school.
PERSONAL
Tyler Owens … son of Ed and Deborah Owens … enjoys fishing and drawing in his spare time … has four siblings … a university studies major at Texas Tech.
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Saturday, November 22
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The Brand: Belief
Thursday, November 20
