A lot of NFL hopefuls took part in Oklahoma’s Pro Day, but the candidate with the most to prove was linebacker Owen Heinecke. After fighting hard for one more year of eligibility against the NCAA, the LB got nothing but rejection. With his dream of returning to Oklahoma hanging in the balance, he is focusing on what’s in front of him.

“I’ve just been operating with the facts that I have,” Heinecke told On3. “Right now, the fact is that my year isn’t available, so I’m here participating at Pro Day—full steam ahead on the NFL. OU has done a good job advocating for me and letting me know all the options, and kind of letting the ball fall in my court. When anything materializes, you guys will know.”

Owen Heinecke has lost two appeals to win another season of eligibility. The NCAA counted three lacrosse games he played at Ohio State in 2021 into his eligibility, despite him having played only 15 minutes in total that season. And, he missed the 2022 season because of an injury. Including the 2021 season with the Buckeyes and the past three seasons at Oklahoma, he has exhausted his four years of eligibility according to the NCAA. That leaves him with only option of returning to Oklahoma: filing for a preliminary injunction.

Getting into a legal battle with the NCAA is also tricky right now, as the organization has appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court to try to stop Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss from playing a sixth season. He has already been granted a preliminary injunction. Since the NCAA has an edge in this tussle with Owen Heinecke, they can delay this potential lawsuit until the day of the draft, which would close that avenue as well for him. That would officially be the end of the line in this saga.

That’s why he’s going all in on improving his chances for the NFL Draft, simply because this is the only option that can get him somewhere. At Oklahoma’s Pro Day, he ran a quick 20‑yard shuttle in 4.25 seconds. Before that, in the NFL Combine, he ran the 40‑yard dash in 4.62 seconds, which is fast for a linebacker. He also showed strong power by jumping 34.5 inches high and almost 10 feet long. It’s a pretty impressive showing for someone in Owen Heinecke’s situation.

Owen Heinecke’s production makes him a promising pick for the NFL teams. He broke out last season, recording 74 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery, helping Oklahoma’s defense. This comes after three seasons of recording stats in the single digits. Looking at the surge, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. projects him as a potential Day 3 pick. The fact that he hasn’t slid down to an undrafted prediction is a big win for Heinecke, who was among the stars of Brent Venables‘ defense last season.

Now, let’s know about the teams that might be interested in taking him in.

NFL teams that might be interested in Owen Heinecke

If Owen Heinecke does go pro, then he would be buried in an already crowded LB class in the draft. And since he is tabbed as a Day 3 pick, he will very likely find himself deep in the depth chart for at least his first season in the league, regardless of where he lands.

First up on the list is the Denver Broncos. They just signed two of their linebackers, Alex Singleton and Justin Strand, which makes their linebacker room strong, but they also need a rookie who can develop under them and take charge once their contract is over.

Then there’s the Jaguars; they don’t have many linebackers behind Foyesade Oluokun, so they will likely add more players to make their defense stronger. Even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers had trouble with linebackers in coverage last season, and older players like Lavonte David might retire or return back. They are expected to look for a linebacker who can cover well.

Heinecke is known for working really hard and never giving up, which has helped him get better and succeed. Having played only one productive season at Oklahoma, he should ideally try his best to return and build his draft stock for the next year. Sadly, he doesn’t have many options to achieve this crucial goal. Owen Heinecke has no option but to wait and see how this crisis resolves.