Ohio wide receiver Coleman Owen is among the most slept-on and productive prospects in college football. Owen has absolutely exploded since transferring to the program this season. The Bobcats standout has produced 62 catches for 1,062 yards and seven touchdowns. He currently ranks 14th in FBS receiving yards.
Owen recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network. He discussed his decision to transfer to Ohio from Northern Arizona, his favorite routes to run versus man and zone coverage, playing the slot receiver role at the next level, and more.
JM: You spent your first five seasons at Northern Arizona. How do you look back on the decision to transfer to Ohio?
Coleman Owen: Looking back, I’m so thankful I made that decision. I ended up getting a great opportunity here at Ohio. The coaching staff really welcomed me to the program, as did my teammates. It’s been such a blessing. I loved my time at Northern Arizona, but I’ve had a lot of fun here at Ohio.
JM: You've had a huge season, recording 62 catches for 1,062 yards and seven TDs. You've taken a clear step forward since coming to Ohio. You must feel vindicated, like yeah, I knew I had this in me. It’s been a career-best year.
Coleman Owen: Yeah, in a way, I do feel like that. I think the offense we run here at Ohio is very special. Our offensive coordinator Brian Smith has really put me in positions to be successful. He’s done a great job calling this offense. He wants us playmakers to get the ball in our hands.
I’ve really loved playing in this offense. I’ve made some big-time plays.
Bradley Weaver and Coleman Owen are All-MAC First Team!#OUohyeah pic.twitter.com/gN8BxISRFZ
— Ohio Football (@OhioFootball) December 5, 2024
JM: Does Coleman Owen have a favorite route to run in this offense?
Coleman Owen: That’s a tough question. There’s a lot of great routes in our playbook. My favorite is probably a vertical choice route. It’s a typical route. I have so many different options whether I see man coverage, Cover 2, Tampa 2, or Cover 3.
I can run that vertical choice route in so many different ways depending on the coverage. It’s my favorite route because really no matter what coverage they’re running against us, I can find something to get open. I have to use my skills and smarts to get open.
JM: So what are you doing if it’s man coverage? What about Cover 2?
Coleman Owen: If it’s man, I’m looking at the leverage of the defender and depending on how he’s playing, I’m either sticking the route inside and running a 10-yard speed cut-in. If he’s playing heads-up, I can sell our inside fade route and still hit that 10-yard speed cut-in.
If the defender is playing Cover 2, I’m chasing the face of the safety and running a post route. If it’s Tampa 2, I might sit the route down. There’s a lot of different options on the table. I have to execute my pre-snap read and then react to the coverage post-snap.
JM: I love how detailed that answer was. Do you see yourself filling a slot role at the next level? Is that your home?
Coleman Owen: I think I can play anywhere. I would say I’m most comfortable in the slot because that’s where I’ve played the majority of my snaps. I really like playing on the outside and facing press-man coverage as well. I haven’t done a ton of that, but it’s a lot of fun to work the sideline too.
Babe wake up new white slot WR that I am going to compare to Julian Edelman just dropped: Ohio's Coleman Owen
— Chicago Football Connection (@CFCBears) December 2, 2024
This guy is an NFL level talent I cannot wait to watch more #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/cwOiQ6DKGG
JM: Earning a roster spot in this league as a small-schooler sometimes comes down to special teams. How comfortable are you playing special teams?
Coleman Owen: I’ve loved being a returner throughout my entire college career. I especially love returning punts, but I’ve enjoyed returning kicks as well. Returning punts has been my favorite thing to do dating back to high school.
JM: We've appreciated your time. As you prepare to go through the pre-draft process, what are your goals?
Coleman Owen: My goal is to utilize every resource at my disposal throughout the process. Whatever is available to me, I’m going to use that to better myself at the next level. I’m going to attack every day with the right mindset. I’m going to use those resources at the next level, my veteran teammates included.
I’m going to be thankful for the opportunity.