20-year-old defensive end James E. Owens Jr. was an Alabama Crimson Tide “once-in-a-generation” talent, future MVP, and first-round NFL prospect—continues the disturbing pattern of AI-generated hoaxes plaguing social media. Published on fringe sites like lumezen.info with garish headlines and fabricated quotes (e.g., from a nonexistent “veteran linebacker Marcus Tillman”), this story has zero basis in reality. As confirmed by credible reporting, Owens was a junior defensive lineman at Huntingdon College (NCAA Division III) in Montgomery, Alabama—not the University of Alabama. His tragic death on November 10, 2025, in a Chilton County car crash has been widely mourned by his actual community, but these distortions cheapen his real legacy of kindness, faith, and quiet impact.
No Alabama Athletics statements, SEC rosters, or X posts from Crimson Tide insiders reference Owens—searches yield nothing tying him to Tuscaloosa’s powerhouse program beyond his hometown roots. This follows identical fabrications linking him to LSU, Jacksonville Jaguars, Texas Tech, and BYU—all debunked as content-farm clickbait recycling the same template: Inflated hype (“defensive prospect of the decade”), unsourced “quotes,” and paywalled “full stories.”
Owens’ True Legacy: Faith, Mentorship, and Unwavering Positivity
What the hoaxes miss—and what tributes capture—is Owens’ profound off-field influence. Just weeks earlier, on September 26, he was baptized on the field at Charles Lee Field after a practice win, a public step in his deep Christian faith. Huntingdon chaplain Rhett Butler, who officiated, called it unforgettable: “Of everyone I’ve baptized, James stands as the most abundantly assured person. He knew Jesus, loved Jesus, and was insistent on taking the next step of his faith… He realized what a witness his own faith was for the faith of others.” The team’s post captured the joy: “Wins on Saturday’s are always great. Wins for God’s Kingdom are even better.”
Head coach Mike Turk, speaking to WSFA 12 News, emphasized unity in grief: “It has been one of those weeks where we need each other… We went back to work on Tuesday and started trying to get ready for Belhaven, as I know James would have wanted us to do.” Owens volunteered weekends mentoring youth at local middle and high schools, stressing discipline and self-belief—echoing the viral post’s fabricated quote but rooted in real stories from Tuscaloosa peers. “He always talked about wanting to make his family proud. He never ran from a challenge—he ran toward it,” a teammate shared genuinely, per AL.com.
His funeral on November 22 at Christian Community Church in Tuscaloosa drew family, Hawks teammates, and Northridge alumni, with a balloon release in Huntingdon’s red and white colors symbolizing his enduring spirit.
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