OWENS BACK FOR THE BULLDOGS IN 2009?

The Georgia Bulldogs suffered another setback when defensive tackle Jeff Owens suffered a torn ACL during a 45-21 season-opening win over Georgia Southern.But coach Mark Richt is confident that Owens will put his injured knee (and the rest of his body) at risk again in 2009 for no pay.”I don’t think there would be any question about [Owens returning],” Richt said. “He knows it could be a blessing in the long run if he rehabs well and gets maybe even in better condition than he was this year. So he’s looking at the bright side right now."Owens was regarded in some circles as a possible high pick in the 2009 draft. But, with the torn ACL and the lost season flowing from it, Owens would have to put up Mamula-esque numbers in the pre-draft workouts in order to get back up the board.Still, if there’s any chance that Owens will be draft high, he might be tempted to give it a try. Widespread talk of the NFL implementing a rookie salary structure could prompt underclassmen to jump in droves this season.The reality, however, is that a rookie pay scale would affect a limited number of players, perhaps as few as the first ten taken. But this fact likely will be lost on the agents who surely will be cajoling these kids into coming out early.For that reason, the smart move for Owens is to wait a year. He can re-establish his draft stock next season, and he likewise would be competing with fewer players for draft position in 2010, if a bunch of them come out early after the 2008 season.