Former 5-Star Recruit, Auburn DL Byron Cowart Signs with Maryland

Defensive lineman Byron Cowart signed on Wednesday to play at the University of Maryland after transferring from Auburn.

Maryland Football made it official with the following tweet:

This comes after Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn announced in September that Cowart requested and was granted a release from the Tigers after two-plus years with the program, per Josh Vitale of the Opelika-Auburn News.

"Byron Cowart has come to me numerous times over the past couple weeks disappointed in his playing time," Malzahn said. "Yesterday he came to me and said he wants to quit and pursue other opportunities, so we wish him nothing but the best moving forward."

Cowart came to Auburn as a 5-star prospect and the No. 3 overall player in the 2015 recruiting class, per 247Sports. He was a player who was supposed to come into the SEC and dominate up front for the Tigers as they looked to handle some of the potent rushing attacks in the conference and create a pass rush.

Instead, Cowart posted six tackles in eight games as a freshman and then played in a mere four games as a sophomore, finishing with six tackles again. He had three tackles through the first two contests of the 2017 season before electing to leave the Tigers in the wake of unfulfilled potential.

Tom Green of AL.com noted the 6'3", 283-pounder had shifted from defensive end to defensive tackle before he left the Tigers and called his skill set "better suited" to play on the interior because his quickness and strength stood out more than his initial burst on the outside.

In theory, Cowart is now versatile enough to play on the edge or interior for his new team after his training before the 2017 season.

Cowart won't face the same expectations with Maryland as when he arrived at Auburn considering his lack of production in his two-plus seasons with the Tigers, but he gives the Terrapins someone who can develop into an impact pass-rusher if he taps into the skill set that made him such sought-after recruit.