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Armwood's Byron Cowart signs with Auburn

 
Armwood defensive end Byron Cowart, center, dons a Auburn hat after declaring that he would sign with the Tigers during a ceremony Wednesday at the high school. [JAMES BORCHUCK | Times]
Armwood defensive end Byron Cowart, center, dons a Auburn hat after declaring that he would sign with the Tigers during a ceremony Wednesday at the high school. [JAMES BORCHUCK | Times]
Published Feb. 5, 2015

SEFFNER — It was supposed to be over, the years­long recruiting process Armwood High defensive end Byron Cowart — the nation's top-ranked recruit — endured quite publicly.

But even after signing a letter of intent, announcing his commitment before a packed house at the Hawks' annual signing day ceremony, and speaking live on ESPNU's telecast about his decision to play for Auburn University, there was drama to come.

Less than three hours after Wednesday's ceremony ended about 10 a.m., Armwood coach Sean Callahan confirmed that Cowart's letter of intent was in fact signed but not sent.

Because there wasn't just one signed letter, he said, but two.

Callahan said Cowart came to him the morning of the ceremony with two signed letters, one to Auburn and one to Florida. He told his coach he would verbally commit to Auburn that day but asked him not to fax either letter. Cowart told some media outlets that he never signed two letters.

He was "confused," said Callahan, whose son Kirk accepted a job as UF's secondary coach a month ago.

The nearly daylong drama ended around 4:30 p.m. — more than seven hours after Cowart announced his commitment — when Cowart's mentor, Woodrow Grady, confirmed the school finally had received the fax, making him one of 27 recruits Auburn signed Wednesday.

"There's been plenty of fiascos on signing day," 247Sports' Chris Nee said. "It's not unusual to hear about a player, his family and the coach having a difference of opinion. But it played out on a national stage."

Cowart had been high on Florida since the beginning, but he admitted that the Gators' coaching shakeup — Florida fired Will Muschamp in November and hired former Colorado State coach and Alabama offensive coordinator Jim McElwain as his replacement — affected his decision.

Cowart said he developed a good relationship with Muschamp while he was coach at Florida, and when Muschamp was hired as Auburn's defensive coordinator in December, Cowart saw the Tigers in a new light.

"It just put the icing on the cake," he said. "I was considering Auburn before, now it's a coincidence they get Coach Muschamp. Basically he just helped them get me to take a visit. After that I was able to see everything for myself."

Cowart's value to a college program speaks for itself. On Jan. 2 he was named MVP of the Under Armour All-American Game, an event that brings together the top high school players in the country. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end had a college-ready body when he arrived at Armwood. Then, Cowart was relatively new in the Tampa area, having moved with his mother to Seffner from Gwinnett County, Ga., when he was 12 years old.

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One reason for the move was so Cowart could play football in a talent-rich state, his mother, Lacoria Wilson, said. Back then, Cowart wasn't so sure he was good enough to compete. Wilson thought otherwise.

"Seeing him play in Georgia, I was like, 'You can do it You can play with them,' " Wilson said. "And not that you can play with them, you can be just as good as them.'"

Five years later, he was the best.

But the choices at Cowart's finger­tips only made the process tougher for him, Callahan said. Cowart changed his mind about his top schools often throughout the recruiting process, and Callahan envisioned that sticking with one might be a tough task for his prized player.

"Even when he signs on the dotted line, I know how he's going to be. He's going to second guess himself to no end," Callahan said nearly a month ago. "He's got to be able to learn to put this behind him."

Finally, it appears he has, even if it took Cowart a little bit longer than most.

Contact Kelly Parsons at kaparsons@tampabay.com. Follow @_kellyparsons.