Terrell Owens' son making strong case for 49ers 53-man roster with strong camp

It can be hard for fans to gauge when the sons of great NFL players are being given a chance based on their last name and when they are viewed as legitimate prospects. However, anyone who believes the San Francisco 49ers are giving Terique Owens a shot solely because of his dad is being proven wrong.

Owens, the son of Hall of Fame receiver and 49ers legend Terrell Owens, was not a heralded prospect out of Missouri State. However, the 49ers seem to be interested in his blend of size and speed that was not being maximized in lower-level college football. The early returns seem to be fairly promising for San Francisco.

Owens, who averaged nearly 19 yards per catch during his final season with the Bears, was on the receiving end of a few deep balls from third-string quarterback Brandon Allen. He beat former starter Rock Ya-Sin for a deep touchdown and later took advantage of Ambry Thomas on another vertical route.

Writers in attendance claimed that Owens was the best-looking rookie wide receiver in a group that also included first-round pick Ricky Pearsall. Every year, there's a sneaky UDFA or two that makes the final roster. Why can't Owens do that this year?

Terique Owens, son of Terrell Owens, impressing at 49ers training camp

Owens caught 28 passes for 528 yards and four touchdowns during his final college season. While his name may have helped him get a look, it's easy to see how a 6-3, 193-pound player with speed may not have been taken advantage of at a program like Missouri State.

The 49ers (allegedly) will head into the season with their top four of Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel in primary roles with Pearsall and Jauan Jennings supplementing. Owens will need to compete with rookie Jacob Cowing, 2023 seventh-rounder Ronnie Bell, and 2022 third-round bust Danny Gray for a roster spot.

The most likely scenario for Owens is to end up on the practice squad, which would still be considered a victory for a player coming from a smaller program. However, if he keeps producing like this in camp, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch may think twice about subjecting him to the waiver market.

If he turns out to be one-tenth the player his father was in his time with the 49ers, San Francisco will have picked up one of the biggest steals of the entire draft process.