'23 Top-Ranked RB Rueben Owens II Decommits from Louisville

The running back from the Lone Star State is one of the top prospects in the Class of 2023, and had been committed to the Cardinals since the summer.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The crown jewel of the Louisville football program's highly-ranked 2023 recruiting class is no longer in the fold.

El Campo (Tex.) HS running back Rueben Owens II, who is the No. 1 running back in the nation according to Rivals and 247Sports, announced Wednesday that he has backed off of his verbal pledge to the Cardinals and reopened his recruitment.

"First off, I want to thank God for all he has done for me. Without him, none of this would have been possible," he said in a graphic posted to social media. "Secondly, I would like to thank my mom, dad, family and supporters for always supporting me throughout all the challenging decisions I have had to make.

"Thirdly, I would like to thank the Louisville family and fans for all of the love you have shown me throughout this process. This is bittersweet for me, due to all the relationships that have been developed."

Owens is the fourth prospect to decommit from the Cardinals in the cycle, following cornerback/wide receiver Martel Hight, cornerback Jeremiah Collins and offensive lineman Jordan Church. He's the first commit to re-open his recruitment following the departure of former head coach Scott Satterfield and reported hiring of Jeff Brohm.

"The old coaching staff they had, all of them just to leave changed my mind in going to the program," Owens said to Rivals.

It goes without saying that losing Owens is a massive blow to Louisville's recruiting class. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound all-purpose back was the top recruit in the Cardinals' 2023 class, ranking as high as the No. 16 prospect in the nation. With a 247Sports Composite rating of 0.9890, he was Louisville's second-highest ranked recruit in the modern recruiting era, trailing only Michael Bush’s 0.9942 rating in the Class of 2003.

Owens was a force to be reckoned with at El Campo, putting up absurd numbers on a weekly basis. Over the course of his final three years in high school, he rushed for 7,076 yards and scored 109 total touchdowns, helping the Ricebirds go 39-10 during that span.

Louisville is now down to a 13-man 2023 recruiting class following Owens' decommitment. It ranks as the No. 27 recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports.

(Photo of Rueben Owens II: Ernesto Pacheco - Victoria Advocate)

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