Tashawn Bower: Breaking Down Impact DE Will Have for LSU

Tashawn Bower surprised some folks by committing to LSU on Wednesday in a major coup for the Tigers. Bower was at one point pegged to sign both with Auburn and Florida.

You've gotta love national signing day.

From Shea Dixon of 247 Sports:

Bower sure used every last second to make his decision. In all seriousness, however, this is a huge moment in any young man's life. You can understand weighing one's options until the last second.

Some may question his indecision, but I think he should be praised for ensuring he was positive about where he wanted to spend the next three or four years of his life.

The 6'5", 240-pound defensive end posted 11 sacks for New Jersey's Immaculata this past season and was rated as a 4-star prospect by 247Sports.com.

ESPN Insider offered the following scouting report on the exciting young player:

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Bower is a good football player with good size and shows some scheme versatility. His future will likely depend on his physical development, but likely in a 4-3 he can man the edge against the run and slide inside in passing situations. Bower is not a dynamic pass rusher, but can be a very tough run defender. If he can elevate his game as a pass rusher, Bower could be a very good overall college defender.

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James Smith of The Times-Picayune had the following to say about Bower:

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With LSU is desperate need of defensive lineman to replenish the talent that left for the NFL Draft, pulling a talent like Tashawn Bower is huge for the Tigers. He's physically ready to compete at the SEC level right now as a defensive end. Depending on physical development, though, he could move to defensive tackle in the future.

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This was a really big signing for LSU. SEC programs like Ole Miss, Alabama, Florida, Auburn and Texas A&M have all landed very nice signing classes this offseason, and LSU needed to keep pace.

Stealing a versatile prospect like Bower from the clutches of Florida was a huge win for Les Miles and the Tigers. We saw a slight changing of the guard in the SEC this season, with Florida returning to prominence and Texas A&M making a splash in its first year as an SEC program.

Plus, Ole Miss has pulled off an amazing recruiting class this season. LSU couldn't afford to get lost in the dust.

Bower should help the Tigers next season. He's the sort of defensive presence that LSU has possessed during its recent run of dominant play. LSU might not have the sexy recruiting classes of some of the other SEC schools, but Bower is proof that the Tigers can still make a splash at the last moment.

Miles and company should be very pleased with Bower's signature on Wednesday.

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