2023 5-star running back Rueben Owens as swift, elusive as the mythical unicorn
OXFORD, Miss. — No matter how old you are, you’ve probably heard intriguing myths and legends that have been passed down through generations. One such mythical creature that continues to captivate its audience is the unicorn — the magical being that is ferocious, swift, and impossible to capture.
One of these rare entities may actually be found out on a football field in El Campo, Texas in the human form of 5-star running back Rueben Owens, one of the most elusive players you will find in the class of 2023.
Top 5 no specific order where will Black Unicorn call his home 🙏🏾.@MikeWestHTX @RuebenOwens2 @Hayesfawcett3 pic.twitter.com/mknSvUBVNK
— Rueben Owens ll #4soCr4zy (@ii_rueben) January 4, 2021
I have watched the talented Owens for well over a year now. After originally committing to the Texas Longhorns in February of this year, he de-committed in June as he looks to test the waters before making that final decision.
That being said, Coach Steve Sarkisian and the Horns are still considered the team to beat. Owens is sitting on 31 offers, and I’m sure a ton more will arrive before he makes his choice. He owns SEC offers from: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Owens is currently ranked the No. 24 overall athlete in the nation in the class of 2023. He is the No.2 running back in the class and the No. 4 overall player at any position in the state of Texas.
Last season, the speedy Texan finished with 1,511 rushing yards along with 22 rushing touchdowns. He was named the 2020 Texas District 12-4A Offensive MVP as a sophomore. It should comes no surprise he also takes his swift talent to the track field as well, placing third in the state in 2021 in the long jump (22-10 ¾) and running an 11.13 in the 100.
[su_box title=”Recruiting Analyst Gabe Brooks on Owens:” box_color=”#13294B” title_color=”#ffffff” radius=”5″]“Possesses the requisite frame of a high-major running back. Looks and plays taller/longer than listing with open-field gait on the longer end of the spectrum that fosters speed-building ability at the top end. Production jumped from freshman to sophomore year with obvious big-play punch (10.79 ypc). On-field play speed is a strength. Looks like an elite running back prospect early in the 2023 class with potential to become an NFL Draft pick.”[/su_box]
The Fit in the ‘Sip
There’s no question Owens has the three ’S’s’ — size, strength and speed — one looks for in an elite running back. From watching his film, you see he has short-area quickness that causes defenders to miss. He redirects very efficiently and shows acceleration that allows him to reach top speed quickly.
And while we know 2023 top QB Arch Manning is still weighing his options as to where he will play college ball, we can’t help but point out he and Owens appear to have a connection.
That Arch Manning ➡️ Rueben Owens (@ii_rueben) connection looked good at camp this morning 👀 pic.twitter.com/lVVantcGfq
— Nick Harris (@NickHarris247) June 12, 2021
After seeing what talented running back Jerrion Ealy continues to mean to the Ole Miss offense, perhaps the Rebs can catch lightning in a bottle twice and get Owens to our neck of the forest in Oxford.
After all, how many chances do you get to have a football unicorn in your midst?
(Feature image credit: Juan DeLeon)
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Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Lee Ann serves as the Director of Recruiting for The Rebel Walk. She sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
