4-star S Tyler Owens announces commitment to Texas

In the aftermath of the Texas Longhorns 31-16 victory over the TCU Horned Frogs, Tom Herman’s program has netted its second pledge in recent weeks with Plano East safety Tyler Owens becoming the latest to announce his commitment on Monday.

A consensus four-star talent, Owens was largely under the Texas radar until the summer, but a trip to the Forty Acres for the Longhorns’ Stars at Night camp changed that. After impressing and testing exceptionally well, Owens ended the night as a prime offer candidate and just days later on July 29, that invitation to play football at Texas came. Although options such as UCLA, Baylor, and Houston were threats early on, Texas separated itself from the pack down the stretch, and entirely following his latest trip to Austin for the USC game, thus, earning his commitment.

Owens also holds offers from the likes of Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, and Vanderbilt, among others, but his relationship with Texas safeties coach Craig Naivar was a difference-maker.

“I’m real close with Coach Naivar,” Owens previously told Burnt Orange Nation’s Joe Hamilton. I talk to [him] a couple of times a week, we’ll get on the phone and talk about how things are going and how the Texas defense works.”

Although Owens’ film leaves little to evaluate from a pass coverage standpoint, his tremendous instincts as a sound run-stopper are undeniable. Owens can deliver the big highlight hit, but more times than not, he’s wrapping up to bring a defender to the ground, so you’ll rarely see him miss tackles. Unsurprisingly, Texas envisions Owens in a high safety role similar to that of DeShon Elliott in 2017.

Listed at 6’2, 202 pounds, Owens is ranked as the nation’s No. 295 player, No. 25 safety, and as the No. 38 player in Texas, per the 247Sports Composite, following a massive leap in the rankings in recent weeks. And, in fact, 247Sports now has him as the No. 74 prospect nationally, the No. 5 safety, and the No. 14 player in Texas.

Owens now becomes the 17th member of Texas’ 2019 class, and the fourth defensive back commit, joining four-star cornerback Kenyatta Watson II, four-star safety Chris Adimora, and three-star cornerback Marques Caldwell.

• Tyler Johnson — 4-star OT
• Jordan Whittington — 4-star WR
• De’Gabriel Floyd — 4-star OLB (California)
• Jake Smith — 4-star WR (Arizona)
• Kenyatta Watson II — 4-star CB (Georgia)
• Demariyon Houston — 4-star WR (Oklahoma)
• Brayden Liebrock — 4-star TE (Arizona)
• Chris Adimora — 4-star S (California)
• Javonne Shepherd — 4-star OT
• Roschon Johnson — 4-star QB
• Derrian Brown — 4-star RB
• Tyler Owens — 4-star S
• Marcus Tillman Jr. — 3-star OLB
• Peter Mpagi — 3-star WDE
• Marques Caldwell — 3-star CB
• T’Vondre Sweat — 3-star SDE
• Jared Wiley — 3-star TE