Auburn Recruiting: Three Reasons Byron Cowart is the Most Important Recruit of 2015
Nov 30, 2013; Auburn, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide running back T.J. Yeldon (4) is brought down by defensive back Ryan Smith (24) and Auburn Tigers defensive end Carl Lawson (55) during the second quarter at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Byron Cowart Will Make an Immediate Impact on the Field
First things first, Byron Cowart can play.
Cowart is listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, and has a 40-yard dash time in the 4.6-second range, according to his 247Sports profile.
To put that into perspective, fellow Auburn target John Burt, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound four-star wide receiver, has a 40-yard dash time of 4.59 seconds listed on his ESPN.com recruiting profile.
Of course, the 40-yard dash isn’t exactly the best measure of a football player, and the time a player takes to run that distance is just a number.
However, it’s a small measure of the explosiveness and burst Cowart possesses as a pass rusher. He’s quick enough to get around the edge and get to the quarterback before larger and slower offensive tackles can block him.
But he’s not just a speed rusher; he’s also a physical presence. Cowart fires off the ball with a lowe center of gravity and has terrific and powerful hands that he uses to shock pass blockers. Plus, he makes good use of secondary moves like rips and swims to get past them.
And, if all else fails, he is strong enough to go right through them:
That’s Kennan Walker getting abused by Cowart in the clip above – a four-star prospect from Arizona considered to be the ninth best offensive tackle in the country by 247Sports. The video was taken at an Under Armour All-American Game practice. Cowart won MVP honors in the game itself.
Simply put, Cowart already has a lot of tools at his disposal that will translate well to the SEC (and Auburn specifically) immediately.
Auburn struggled on defense in 2014 and one of the biggest problems the Tigers faced was producing a consistent pass rush. With Carl Lawson injured, defensive end DaVonte Lambert and linebacker Kris Frost tied for the team lead with 3.5 sacks. Overall, the Tigers ranked 94th in the nation with 20 total sacks.
Even with Lawson returning from a torn ACL, Cowart has the ability to start from day one. He’s this year’s Myles Garrett – who set an SEC freshman record and finished second in the league with 11.5 sacks in 2014 – and Cowart might be even better.
Next: Byron Cowart Will Bring Other Players With Him