Team #150 captain and defensive back Wande Owens ’23 has signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent.
Owens becomes the second Bulldog in 2025 to head to the professional ranks. Jackson Hawes ’23 was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 173rd overall pick in the fifth round of the NFL Draft on Saturday.
“We are so excited for the captain of Team 150,” said Tony Reno, Joel E. Smilow ’54 Head Coach of the Bulldogs. “This opportunity is a direct result of his hard work and determination. Wande is an exceptional player and an outstanding leader. The Buffalo Bills are getting a great one.”
After graduating from Yale, Owens enrolled at the University of New Hampshire as a graduate student for the 2024 season. He appeared in 13 games for the Wildcats, totaling 111 tackles (59 solo, 52 assisted). His standout season earned him spots on the All-ECAC Team, the CAA Football First Team, and the New England Team.
At Yale, Owens was a member of three Ivy League championship-winning teams. A two-time First Team All-Ivy and All-New England selection, he capped an outstanding career by serving as captain of Team #150. In 2023, he ranked second on the team with 55 tackles and made one of the season’s defining plays—breaking up a fourth-down pass in double overtime to secure a win over Princeton.
Over his career with the Bulldogs, Owens appeared in 29 games and recorded 165 tackles. He was a two-time selection to the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society and, in his senior year, earned the team’s Ryan LoProto Award for his passion, competitive spirit, and leadership in the defensive secondary.