JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — When it comes to football, Chad Owens knows a thing or two about beating the odds.

The former University of Hawai'i standout went from being a walk-on in college to NFL draft pick four years later, which is why Owens is undaunted — almost to the point of defiant — about his latest challenge.

And make no mistake, it will be a challenge.

In fact, finding a spot on the Jacksonville Jaguars' roster after everything that has happened to Owens in the past 10 months could be his toughest fight of all.

"I believe in myself, and I always have," Owens said as he prepared for the Jaguars' three-day minicamp that starts today. "There's no concern."

Despite his brave talk, Owens has reason to be concerned about his future in Jacksonville.

His problems began last September, when he mishandled three punts in the first half at Indianapolis in his first — and only — regular-season game.

The Jaguars cut Owens two days later, then re-signed him to the practice squad.

Owens stayed on the practice squad the rest of the season, but alienated the team by refusing an invitation to play in NFL Europe, citing concerns about the travel and his family.

Then, the Jaguars used a second-round pick to draft UCLA running back Maurice Drew, who, at 5 feet 7, is the same height as Owens, and, like Owens, was a return specialist in college.

Drew set an NCAA record by averaging 28.7 yards per punt return last season, and the Jaguars made it clear on draft day that the return duties will be his to lose this fall.

"We're going to find ways to get (Drew) the ball and create some room for him, some space and let him do his thing," Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said.

That wouldn't appear to leave much, if any, room for Owens on the Jaguars' regular-season roster and might even force him into a battle for his spot on the practice squad.

Owens, though, said he is unconcerned about Drew's arrival.

"I wasn't like, 'Oh, I'm out,' after they drafted him," Owens said. "I'm always positive. I'm just a competitor who's going to out there regardless of who I'm competing against. I'm not taking anything away from him, but I'm not going to back down."

That attitude, coupled with a terrific performance last year in training camp and preseason, is what persuaded the Jaguars to keep Owens despite his debacle against the Colts.

Owens has had a lot of time to think about what happened that day in Indianapolis and is convinced that he now knows how to put his struggling NFL career back on track.

"This year, I'm not going to think about too many things," he said. "I'm just going to let it come. It should be like second nature. I should be able to do this without thinking. I was a rookie out to impress people instead of letting my natural instincts and ability take over. I'm trying not to let that happen this year."

But Owens didn't do himself any favors with club management by turning down the request that he play in NFL Europe, a developmental program run by the league that plays a 10-game spring schedule.

Owens' wife, two children, mother, stepfather and two siblings are with him in Jacksonville, which is why he decided to skip Europe and focus instead on the Jaguars' offseason conditioning program.

Owens has no regrets about not playing in Europe, even though it could have helped his chances of sticking with the club.

"Do I have second thoughts? No, not at all," Owens said. "I would have been so far away from my family and missing all of the offseason workouts. I thought about it long and hard, and I'm at peace with my decision."

But declining an invitation isn't the only reason Owens faces an uphill climb with the Jaguars. Despite the sudden retirement yesterday of Jimmy Smith, the team's all-time leading receiver, the Jaguars still have four receivers ahead of Owens on the roster, including former No. 1 picks Reggie Williams and Matt Jones.

Even so, Owens said his confidence remains high.

"I'm looking at this as a fresh start," he said. "I'm putting everything that happened last year behind me. I've been playing this game too long for it to end like that."

Bart Hubbuch covers the Jacksonville Jaguars for The Florida Times-Union.