Byron Cowart to Auburn: Tigers Land 5-Star DE Prospect

After Byron Cowart committed to the Auburn Tigers, his high school coach stated he was still "undecided," according to Justin Hokanson of AuburnUndercover.com. The defensive end didn't send his letter to the Tigers immediately, and sent ripples of nervousness through the orange half of Alabama.

Ultimately, Cowart's indecision didn't last long, as Auburn reported later in the day that they'd received his letter of intent, according to Mike Farrell of Rivals.com: 

The Tigers officially welcomed him to the program: 

Hailing from Armwood High School in Seffner, Florida, Cowart is rated as a 5-star prospect, the No. 1 strong-side defensive end and third-best recruit in the nation, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. That suggests he's ready to make an immediate impact in college, and both his skill set and mature build help his cause. Cowart is 6'4", 250 pounds and runs a 4.60-second 40-yard dash, per his 247Sports profile. As a junior, he registered 13 sacks and piled up 72 total tackles. In 2014, he had 21 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and five forced fumbles.

Possessing such an impressive blend of speed and athleticism has allowed Cowart to dominate his formidable high school competition, so he could very well wind up producing similar results in college.

With the ability to play the run well and to stand up on the edge and sink into coverage if needed, the versatility Cowart brings to the gridiron makes him a particularly coveted prospect. Although he's proved he can bull-rush with effectiveness, he'll have to use the other moves in his arsenal to find success against better competition.

Former NFL head coach and current ESPN analyst Herm Edwards coached Cowart before the Under Armour All-America Game and gave a glowing review, per Bright House Sports Network's Ryan Bass:

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Defensively, he's a game changer, but he goes about his business. He's a leader and he was our team captain. You could tell by the first day when you've got select captains, I'm going that guy right there is going to be a captain. ...

He plays when the moment is big, and he gets it. He's a hard-working guy and he has a fantastic motor. He won't live off his talent. He's going to work at it. Whoever gets this guy, I'll tell you what, look out.

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ESPN's Derek Tyson was impressed with Cowart's performance in the big game too:

Hokanson added more from Cowart on what went into his decision:

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"The new staff at Florida, it was too late," Cowart said. "I told them it wasn't their fault. I have a good relationship with 'T-Rob' (Travaris Robinson) and (Will) Muschamp, and they gave me a chance to visit Auburn. Once I visited, it was a wrap. That's where my heart was.

"I was being recruited by Tim Horton (Auburn running backs coach), I went to the Iron Bowl my junior year and could I see myself playing here? Yea, but will I take an official visit, I don't know. When they got Muschamp, it was icing on the cake. I took that official, me and my mom loved it and it went from there."

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Cowart has an incredibly quick first step and explodes out of his stance once the ball is snapped. There is a sense of anticipation and a knack for diagnosing plays that's evident on tape, which bodes well for Cowart to crack the starting lineup sooner than later.

Cowart can use his hands effectively to disengage blockers, swim past offensive linemen and gain inside leverage to drive his way into the opposing backfield. It doesn't look as though he moves fast on the field, but he covers a ton of ground in a very short amount of time and usually finishes off the play with a violent collision.

Raw power and strength are important for any lineman to succeed at the highest level of college football.

In addition to possessing those traits, it's evident that Cowart is intent on improving his game. He seems to just be realizing his potential, which translates well to his future and long-term outlook. Now that he's added some finesse to his game and will only be coached up with even more intensity, Cowart has a seemingly limitless ceiling as a pass-rusher and a game-changing force around whom offenses have to game-plan.

Special teams likely won't be a phase Cowart will have to go through. He should crack the defensive line rotation and could even line up inside if he adds more bulk to become a disruptive force who can collapse the pocket from the interior.

Cowart is too polished and capable of producing big plays not to see the field right away in some fashion as a prominent contributor to the defense.