One of Florida’s biggest targets in the Class of 2015 is defensive end Byron Cowart (6-3, 255, Seffner, FL Armwood) and he admits that both Alabama and Florida are recruiting him the hardest but also says that while both are good programs the relationships he has with those teams are different.
“Florida and Alabama both have a good recruiting approach towards me,” Cowart said. “Both are good schools. Just off of relationships it’s different because I’ve known Coach [Brad] Lawing and I just met Coach Bo [Davis] because he just got there from Texas. I told Coach Bo that this year is going to my year to evaluate him as a coach. I’ve seen the success that Coach Lawing has had and the success he had with [Jadaveon] Clowney and that’s big to me.”
Cowart who has visited Florida several times took in the Gators big basketball win last weekend but admits that he still wants to see one thing at Florida next fall.
“The basketball game was great that I went to against Kentucky,” Cowart said. “Me and CeCe [Jefferson] were thinking if it’s this loud in basketball arena imagine how loud it will be at the Swamp. My biggest thing for Florida is to get to a football game at Florida because I’ve never been too one.”
Cowart and Jefferson have spent a lot of time together recently, with the two taking a visit to Florida together as well as competing in camps and for the No. 1 overall ranking this recruiting cycle. While the two are fierce competitors, they don’t let their competition on the field affect their friendship off the field.
“CeCe is a baller and I’m a baller and it’s cool because we are both competing to be number one,” Cowart said. “We are like brothers though and we push each other. We want to be a package deal to the same school. Coach Lawing pushes us a lot telling him that he’s a hand in the dirt kind of guy and that I’m a stand-up guy or a hand in the dirt kind of guy.”
Cowart plans to make a trip back to Gainesville for spring practice and wants to make a west coast trip to take in some colleges that are a little farther away from home.
“I know that I’m going to take some visits up to Florida to see some spring practices,” Cowart said. “I also want to get out to Oregon and USC but we will see.”
Cowart was named the defensive linemen MVP of Saturday’s NFTC camp and also earned an invite to the Opening in Oregon in July.