Does the Florida International tailback have a path to a role in Minnesota?
The Minnesota Vikings signed former Florida International running back Kejon Owens as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft, adding competition to a crowded backfield behind Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason and sixth-round pick Demond Claiborne.
FIU AthleticsThe Miami, FL native spent all six seasons of his college football career at Florida International after redshirting his freshman season in 2020 and gaining an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Owens earned 2025 CUSA Offensive Player of the Year honors along with First-Team All-CUSA recognition after posting 1,334 rushing yards—which ranked 10th in the FBS—and 11 touchdowns on 213 carries in 13 games. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry with a long run of 84 yards. Additionally, he hauled in 18 receptions for 67 yards.
He also earned an 81.4 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 83rd among 406 qualifying running backs, while his 83.3 rushing grade ranked 91st at the position. Owens forced 39 missed tackles as a runner and averaged 4.0 yards after contact per attempt.
During his time with the program, Owens recorded 2,262 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on 411 carries while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. He also hauled in 41 receptions for 206 yards.
At the Panthers’ Pro Day, Owens measured in at five-foot-10 and 203 pounds with 29 1/4-inch arms, 9 1/8-inch hands, and a 71 1/4-inch wingspan. He ran a 4.72-second 40-yard dash with a 1.57-second 10-yard split, along with a 4.64-second shuttle and a 7.48-second three-cone drill. Owens also posted a 30 1/2-inch vertical jump, a nine-foot-eight broad jump, and 18 bench press reps at 225 pounds.
Owens is a natural fit for the Vikings due to his physical play style and willingness to handle the hard-nosed work between the tackles. Minnesota’s offense has continued valuing ball carriers capable of keeping the offense on schedule in short-yardage and early-down situations, and Owens consistently showed that ability throughout his collegiate career, racking up 115 career first-down rushing conversions, including 60 during the 2025 season.
While he may not possess elite long speed or sudden change-of-direction ability, Owens makes up for it with toughness, vision, and effort. His performance at the Panini Senior Bowl also helped prove he may have more burst and quickness than many evaluators initially expected entering the pre-draft process. That could give him an opportunity to compete for a complementary depth role in Minnesota’s backfield rotation while potentially earning a spot on the practice squad following the team’s offseason program.