Where does Cowart fit?

[aubiefifty 17,488]

Where does former No. 1 recruit Byron Cowart fit on Auburn’s defensive line? | Auburn University Sports

 

AUBURN - Auburn still has a few questions to answer before it releases its season-opening depth chart on Tuesday, but who the top options are on the defensive line isn’t one of them.

Andrew Williams, Dontavius Russell, Jeff Holland, Nick Coe and Marlon Davidson are the Tigers’ first five defensive linemen, defensive coordinator Kevin Steele said Thursday on the Tiger Talk radio show, headlining a top group that will likely also include Paul James III and Derrick Brown.

Behind that group are the freshmen — T.D. Moultry, Big Kat Bryant, Tyrone Truesdell and Alec Jackson.

Your guide to the start of the 2017 high school football season.

Then, Steele said, “you’ve got guys like Byron Cowart.”

Cowart, the nation’s top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2015 according to some of the major services, is going into Year 3 at Auburn, but based on Steele’s comments Thursday, it sounds like he might not have a role any larger than rotational depth.

“I feel like everybody's path is different and I feel like he's been doing really well and doing what the coaches have asked him to do,” Russell said. “And he's bought in to doing what they've asked him to do. I feel like he's been doing his job.”

The five-star Seffner, Fla., product started his career at strongside defensive end, but totaled only 12 tackles and one tackle for loss in two seasons there and was passed over on the depth chart by Freshman All-SEC selection Davidson last season.

Cowart moved inside to defensive tackle during the spring, and by all accounts, the move has suited the 6-foot-3, 283-pound junior well.

“I think he's settling in. In the spring, he started settling in,” head coach Gus Malzahn said. “It's like anything else — you get more reps at it, the better you're going to be. He's shown at times that he can rush the passer from inside pretty efficiently.”

But it remains to be seen how much Cowart will be given a chance to contribute at that spot. Russell is a third-year starter, and Williams and Brown look on paper to be the favorites to fill the starting role once held by Montravius Adams. The redshirt freshman Coe has shuffled between strongside defensive end and pass-rushing defensive tackle this fall, potentially putting another player ahead of Cowart on the depth chart.

Asked about those players earlier this fall, defensive line coach Rodney Garner gave long, detailed descriptions about the progress they have made. Asked about Cowart, he offered this:

“He’s working. He’s working. He’s working. He’s working,” Garner said. “He’s got to keep improving.

“He’s a defensive tackle, and that’s a different position. So he has to learn the techniques and the fundamentals and master those before he can be successful at that position.”

Nine different defensive linemen appeared in at least 10 games for Auburn last season, and Cowart was among them. There seems a good chance he could be again this season.

But if the former No. 1 recruit is going to have a real impact in Year 3, it appears as if he’ll need to work his way up the depth chart first.

“He's still got time,” Russell said. “He's still got two years, so I feel like he'll be fine and as far as this year he's going to do what he needs to do. When it gets to your time to play, you play better.”

[djg0017 726]

I've said this before, and I'm going to say it again: we need to play Cowart a ton in the opener. If he gets heavy minutes against a Sun Belt team and still doesn't perform then I think the debate is settled and we know what we have in him. But if the kid shows out and really produces well then it might light a fire in him for the rest of the year since right now it seems like he is playing with such little confidence. And if he's getting the bulk of minutes then we are less likely to wear down our other DL before the Clemson game.

[milehighfan 1,240]

Considering he's trying to work his way up the depth chart his fire should be lit every time he gets in the game.

[JDUBB4AU 5,138]

The time is now for cowart. Any chance he gets to play he better take advantage. I say he has a breakout year

[ScubaSteve 194]

Can somebody get him a chuckie doll asap!

[gr82be 14,575]

"Cow art" fits nicely in front of the brick wall that I hope is our defense this season.  Seriously I'm hoping he takes a huge step forward this season but changing positions is not usually easy. He definitely needs to take advantage of every opportunity when he gets them. I applaud him for staying with us and doing what the coaches feel is best for him and the team. As we know, some guys would transfer when faced with a challenge. 

[milehighfan 1,240]

1 hour ago, JDUBB4AU said:

The time is now for cowart. Any chance he gets to play he better take advantage. I say he has a breakout year

I hope you're right. He would be a big boost to the DL.

[JDUBB4AU 5,138]

3 minutes ago, milehighfan said:

I hope you're right. He would be a big boost to the DL.

I believe it's 100% a confidence thing. If he gets his mojo back watch out

[stoic-one 1,554]

5 hours ago, aubiefifty said:

“He’s working. He’s working. He’s working. He’s working,”

Ya don't say? When's he going to start playing, playing, playing?

[bigbird 60,624]

42 minutes ago, stoic-one said:

Ya don't say? When's he going to start playing, playing, playing?

Sept 2

[IronMan70 3,282]

The whole thing is a head scratcher to me.

[WarEagle10 77]

I am pulling for this kid. He was a man amongst boys in HS. It was probably like that for him his entire life. He got to college and his physical gifts were equalized by others with the same gifts. Hopefully he has learned that hard work is what it takes to succeed at this level. 

[WarTim 3,461]

Sometimes the "light " has to come on. Hopefully soon.