Tyler Owens Bio
Tyler Owens is an American professional football safety and special teamer for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Born on May 12, 2001, in Plano, Texas, he played college football at the University of Texas and Texas Tech before signing as an undrafted free agent in 2024. Standing 6 ft 2 in and listed at 213 lb, Owens is recognized for his elite athleticism at the safety position and his standout special teams play.
After a college path that included stints with two Big 12 programs, Owens entered the NFL as a long-shot prospect and earned a roster spot in Washington. His professional career is still in its early chapters, but he has already shown flashes of impact on defense and in the kicking game, along with a reputation as one of the most explosive athletes at his position.
Early Life and Background
Tyler Owens was born and raised in Plano, Texas, where he attended Plano East Senior High School. At Plano East, he was a multi-sport standout, playing football and running track for the Panthers. On the football field, he developed into a top-rated safety recruit, drawing attention from college scouts across the country.
As a senior, Owens totaled 67 tackles, eight pass breakups, and two interceptions, performances that earned him a selection to the All-American Bowl. He was also a top athlete on the Plano East track team, an experience that helped build the speed and explosiveness that later became trademarks of his game. Recruiting analysts rated him as a four- or five-star prospect, and he ultimately committed to play college football for the Texas Longhorns.
Path to the NFL
Owens began his college career at the University of Texas, where he spent three seasons with the Longhorns. As a true freshman in 2019, he appeared in 13 games and started one, posting eight tackles. Over the next two seasons, his role remained limited, with two tackles in nine games in 2020 and two tackles in five games in 2021, before he decided to seek a fresh opportunity elsewhere.
Owens entered the NCAA transfer portal after the 2021 season and joined the Texas Tech Red Raiders. In his first year in Lubbock, he appeared in 12 games, started two, and recorded 19 tackles along with two forced fumbles and an interception. He returned for a final college season in 2023 and produced a career-best 37 tackles with two pass breakups, earning an invitation to the East–West Shrine Bowl. At the NFL Scouting Combine, he posted the best vertical jump among safeties and a 12 ft 2 in broad jump, finishing one inch short of the world record in that event.
Tyler Owens Career
Early Career at Texas (2019–2021)
Owens enrolled at Texas as a highly regarded safety prospect and was given an early chance to contribute. His freshman season was the most productive of his time in Austin, with 13 appearances and one start while learning the Longhorns’ defensive schemes. Over his final two years at Texas, opportunities shrank as the program reshaped its secondary, and Owens finished his Longhorns tenure with limited statistical production.
Following the 2021 season, Owens made the decision to leave Austin and explore the transfer portal in search of a larger role. The move to Texas Tech gave him a chance to reset his career trajectory and put himself back on the radar of NFL scouts.
Texas Tech Red Raiders Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Owens arrived in Lubbock and immediately carved out a meaningful role in the Red Raiders’ defense. In 2022, he played in 12 games with two starts and made 19 tackles, added two forced fumbles, and picked off a pass, showing a more aggressive, ball-hawking style. The season served as a launching point for his draft stock, demonstrating that he could produce against Big 12 competition.
In 2023, Owens delivered his best collegiate season, posting a career-high 37 tackles along with two pass breakups. That performance earned him an invitation to the East–West Shrine Bowl, where he continued to impress scouts with his combination of size, speed, and physicality. His standout testing numbers at the NFL Combine, including the top vertical jump among safeties and a near-world-record broad jump, cemented his reputation as one of the most athletic defensive backs in his class.
Washington Commanders Era (2024–Present)
Despite his elite athletic profile, Owens went undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft and signed with the Washington Commanders as an undrafted free agent. He made enough of an impression to stick on the roster and earn playing time as a safety and special teams contributor during his rookie season. Through his first NFL campaign, he recorded 24 tackles and one forced fumble, while also handling a variety of special teams duties.
Owens was placed on injured reserve on January 4, 2025, pausing his momentum at the end of his rookie year. As he works his way back from injury, he remains an active member of the Commanders’ roster and a player the organization views as a developmental piece in the secondary and a core special teamer.
Driving Style and Strengths
Owens is best known for his rare athletic tools, highlighted by his Combine-leading vertical jump and exceptional broad jump. He plays with a physical, aggressive style, embraces contact in run support, and is effective on special teams coverage units. His combination of size at 6 ft 2 in and 213 lb with verified track speed gives him the profile of a modern box-style safety who can also contribute in the kicking game.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Owens’ career so far are his East–West Shrine Bowl invitation and his record-setting NFL Combine performance, where his broad jump fell just one inch short of the all-time world record. His transition from Texas to Texas Tech and subsequent rise as an undrafted free agent in Washington also stand out as key milestones in a young career that continues to develop.
Tyler Owens Career Wins
Tyler Owens is still early in his professional career and has not yet recorded an NFL interception or a major individual award at the professional level. His statistical impact has come primarily through tackles, forced fumbles, and special teams play, areas in which he has continued to grow each season since high school. The most notable win of his journey to date has been simply making an NFL roster as an undrafted player and earning an active role with the Washington Commanders.
College and High School Highlights
At Plano East Senior High School, Owens earned All-American Bowl recognition and was a top-rated national safety recruit. At Texas Tech, he produced back-to-back seasons of meaningful defensive contribution, including a career-best 37 tackles in 2023. His performance at the East–West Shrine Bowl and the NFL Combine helped transform him from a transfer-portal prospect into a legitimate professional talent.
Other Performances
Owens also competed in track and field at Plano East, where his speed and explosiveness translated directly to his football development. His Combine testing, including the best vertical jump among safeties in his class, remains one of the most widely cited results from the 2024 pre-draft process.
Tyler Owens Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Tyler Owens’ parents and extended family is limited, and he has not shared extensive details about his family background in widely available sources. What is known is that he grew up in Plano, Texas, and developed his athletic foundation in that community.
Personal Life
Owens gained broader public attention during the 2024 NFL Combine for an interview in which he stated that he does not believe in outer space or other planets and found the Flat Earth theory to present valid points. He attributed his views to his religious faith, citing the biblical teaching that God created the heavens and the Earth. Outside of football, he has been active on social media, where fans can follow his career through his public Instagram account.
2025 Season Performance
Tyler Owens heads into the 2025 season looking to build on his rookie year with the Washington Commanders after being placed on injured reserve at the end of the 2024 campaign. Coming off that injury, his primary objective will be returning to full health and re-establishing himself as a reliable contributor on defense and in the kicking game. The Commanders’ staff views him as a developmental safety with special teams value, and the 2025 season is expected to be a key evaluation year for his long-term role in Washington.
His Combine-tested athleticism gives him a clear path to more defensive snaps if he can stay on the field and continue to refine his coverage and tackling technique. Special teams will likely remain an important avenue for him to make an immediate impact while he develops as a safety. As he enters his second professional season, Owens will be looking to add his first career interception and increase his tackle totals while helping the Commanders compete in a competitive NFC.
The outlook for Owens in 2025 is one of measured optimism. He has already beaten long odds by reaching the NFL as an undrafted free agent, and his athletic ceiling remains among the highest in the Commanders’ secondary. If he can stay healthy and continue to grow within the team’s defensive scheme, he has a realistic opportunity to expand his role and become a longer-term piece of Washington’s plans.
