NY defender turning heads

Riverhead, N.Y., athlete Mike Owen has the speed and power to be a dominating force at the next level. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Owen plays inside linebacker and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds, bench presses 350 pounds, and squats 500 pounds. Several schools have noticed his presence on the field, and his stock is rising.

A two-year starter, Owen was named all-county and second-team all-Long Island as a junior, after recording 113 tackles (33 solos), two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. He also plays running back. He plays basketball and is a member of the track team, where he runs the 200 meter dash and 400 meter dash and throws the discus and shot put.

“I am looking at the facilities, the graduation rate, and the diversity in the community,” Owen commented on his college criteria. Boston College, Iowa, Syracuse, Virginia, and Wisconsin are currently the top schools showing interest, but he wants to remain fairly close to home.

“I don’t want to go too far,” he explained. “I would like to stay in a certain radius, about six to eight hours driving.” He camped at Virginia last summer and plans to go to some other camps this year, but has not made any plans.

“I am smart and I like to use my knowledge on the field to make the team better,” Mike stated. “I read offenses and know the opponents well.

“I like to use my smarts like Ray Lewis. He barks out calls and really helps the defense.” His “smarts” are evidenced by the fact that he maintains a 3.3 GPA and plans to major in mathematics.