The Washington Commanders have 11 rookies on the 53-man roster. Washington kept all nine of its 2024 NFL draft choices and two undrafted free agents.
One of those undrafted free agents is safety Tyler Owens. A former five-star prospect, Owens committed to Texas out of high school, where he played three seasons before transferring to Texas Tech for the last two years of his college career.
A phenomenal athlete, Owens wasn’t drafted but was a priority undrafted free agent. Washington signed Owens, and he made the 53-man roster after a terrific training camp and preseason.
CBS Sports recently looked at several rookies who were late-round picks or undrafted free agents who survived final cuts. Owens was named one of the nine most intriguing rookies.
Byron Jones’ 147-inch broad jump — which equates to 12 feet and 3 inches — felt like an untouchable combine record that no one could even approach. That was the case since Jones jumped that astronomically far in 2015 … until Owens went 146 inches in April.
The former Texas Tech is a monster of a safety from a size perspective too, at nearly 6-3 and 216 pounds. Oh, and he had a 41-inch vertical as well. Owens is already one of the most imposing and genuinely explosive safeties in the NFL, which makes sense, because he was the No. 3 safety recruit in the country in the high school class of 2019 per 247 Sports. The only two safeties ahead of him that year? Daxton Hill and Kyle Hamilton.
Owens spent five years in college, three at Texas and two at Texas Tech. In Austin, he barely saw the field. With the Red Raiders in 2023, he made 37 tackles and knocked away two passes.
In the preseason with the Commanders, Owens mostly ranged from free safety and made seven tackles while only allowing one reception for four yards in his coverage area on a pair of targets. No, he didn’t set the world on fire in his exhibition showings, but Owens is simply too freaky of a specimen to not include here.
There is excitement surrounding Owens because the Commanders believe his best football is ahead of him. He’s phenomenal athletically, but he also plays fast and aggressive. The coaches believe with these traits, the sky is the limit for Owens. As a rookie, Owens will become one of Washington’s top special teams players. But don’t rule out him eventually making an impact on the defensive side of the ball.