Mel Owens
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
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| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | December 7, 1958 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 224 lb (102 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | DeKalb (DeKalb, Illinois) | ||||||||||
| College | Michigan (1976–1980) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 1981: 1st round, 9th overall pick | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
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Mel Tyrae Owens (born December 7, 1958) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Michigan from 1976 to 1980. He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round (ninth overall pick) of the 1981 NFL draft. He played nine seasons with the Rams and compiled 26.5 quarterback sacks. Owens later became a sports lawyer in Laguna Hills, California.
Owens was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1958.[1] His father Walter Owens played professional baseball in the mid-1950s for the Detroit Stars of the Negro American League and later coached high school baseball in Detroit. The family moved to DeKalb, Illinois, when Mel was in the ninth grade, as his father was hired as the baseball coach at Northern Illinois University.[2] Mel attended DeKalb High School where he was a multi-sport star, winning a total of nine varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. He played at the fullback and linebacker positions for the football team, gaining almost 1,000 yards one year, and at forward for the basketball team.[3]
As a junior in 1975, Owens was selected as the basketball team's most valuable player after tallying 254 rebounds (11.5 per game) and 329 points (14.9 per game).[4] He won unanimous all-conference basketball honors as a senior after leading the team in both scoring (352 points) and rebounds (263).[5]
University of Michigan
Owens enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1976. He played college football for Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines football teams from 1976 to 1980. As a true freshman in 1976, Owens moved from strong safety to outside linebacker to inside linebacker.[6] As a sophomore, he played principally as a backup to Jerry Meter. He gained note, however, for personally stopping two fourth-down plays in the fourth quarter against Ohio State to help the 1977 Michigan team win the Big Ten Conference championship and advance to the Rose Bowl.[7]
As a junior, he started the first two games of the season at inside linebacker for the 1978 Michigan Wolverines football team,[8] but he was injured in the second game against Notre Dame.
As a redshirt junior, Owens started all 12 games at outside linebacker for the 1979 Michigan Wolverines football team.[9] That year, he had 42 tackles and 26 assists.[10] He starred in the Michigan State game, hitting Spartan quarterback Bert Vaughan and forcing an errant pass that was intercepted by Michael Harden. Later in the same game, he recovered a Michigan State fumble at midfield.[2]
As a senior, Owens started 11 of 12 games at outside linebacker for the 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled a 10–2 record, finished No. 4 in the AP and UPI polls, and outscored opponents 322 to 129.[11] During the 1980 season, Owens tallied 52 solo tackles, 37 assists, and an interception.[10] He was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten Conference player in 1980.[11]
Owens concluded his collegiate career with 125 solo tackles, 79 assists, and three interceptions.[10] He played in the 1978 and 1981 Rose Bowls and the 1979 Gator Bowl while at Michigan.[10] He graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science.[12]