In the span of a few minutes early Tuesday night, Byron Cowart explained to reporters the two extremes that had led him here to Maryland, a defensive lineman once considered one of the nation’s top recruits starting over at a success-starved football program.
Three years ago, Cowart was the country’s top-rated prospect, according to Rivals.com and ESPN.com. A 6-foot-4 dynamo from just east of Tampa, Fla., he signed with Auburn but could’ve gone anywhere. He was at the top of the sport, but not until he’d fallen from his perch did he learn what he needed to.