NFL Draft prospect Tyler Owens admits he doesn't believe in space or 'other planets'

Elite draft prospects come to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis to show off their skills. They run, jump and throw. And, most do media interviews. It was words that got everyone talking about Tyler Owens.

If you don’t know Owens, he’s a now former defensive back from Texas Tech, who started his career as a Texas Longhorn. He’s fleet of feet and possesses the big frame that usually gets NFL Draft scouts buzzing.

Yet Owens sucked in some attention in Indy by talking about space. You read that correctly. He turned heads by talking about the planet and stars. He thinks they they don’t exist. It all could be a big government conspiracy.

“I don’t believe in space,” Owens said at his combine media conference. “I don’t think there’s other planets and stuff like that.”

He added, “I started seeing flat Earth stuff,” Owens said. “That’s kind of interesting and then they started bringing up valid points. I don’t know. [It] could be real.”

Has the NFL ever had a draft featuring a Flat Earther? So long as he plays good football, will anyone care?

Flat Earthers have been around since the earliest civilizations. Those folks had no idea the Earth was round and revolved around the sun and that there were millions of stars and planets. Of course, scientists disproved all that. The movement picked back up 150 or so years ago. Then when the internet came along and social media proved to be a conduit for crazy theories, the Flat Earthers made a comeback.

And now, a Flat Earther is an NFL Draft prospect. No one should ever stick to sports, right?

Owens should be the exact kind of draft prospect who thrives at the NFL Combine. He already has the physique for a pro safety, being that he is 6-foot-2 and 213 pounds. He played in the East West Shrine Game, which uses a format similar to the Senior Bowl. Both can be used as many NFL Draft combines.

Owens ended up as the fastest player at the East West game.

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic listed Owens as one of the 40 players his site is most interested in seeing work out in Indy. Owens came in at No. 17.

Feldman wrote “Owens is something of an eye-catching talent who could become an elite player on special teams. He’s a big, explosive safety who should excel in Indy. Last offseason, he vertical jumped over 40 inches. He also was clocked at more than 23 MPH in a game.”

There is the buzz that Owens could run the fastest 40 time in Indy. But will scouts account for his space beliefs?