The Auburn football program thought they’d picked up a difference maker in Byron Cowart in 2015.
Cowart was the top recruit in the country, and chose Auburn over virtually any other program in the country.
Fast-forward to 2017, and his time with the program is over.
On Tuesday, the university granted him his release.
Former No. 1 overall prospect, defensive tackle Byron Cowart, is leaving the Auburn program.
— Derek Tyson (@DerekJTyson) September 19, 2017
Cowart never made the impact the Tigers thought he would. Originally signed to be a pass-rushing defensive end, they moved him to various spots along the defensive line to try and jumpstart his production. Nothing seemed to work.
In 26 career games, Cowart recorded only 15-tackes.
It is not immediately clear where he will be transferring. There appears to be the possibility that he is looking to move on from his football career altogether.
“(He told me he) wants to quit and pursue other opportunities,” Auburn coach Gus Malzahn told AL.com. “We wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Whether these opportunities are in the game of football or elsewhere remains to be seen. He is free to transfer anywhere outside of the SEC or to any team not on Auburns 2018 schedule. S
ometimes all that is needed is a change of scenery, and if Cowart decides to continue his football career, there will be no shortage of teams willing to kick the tires on his athletic upside.
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