Byron Cowart

Former defensive lineman at Maryland. 2018: 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 38 tackles.

DL · Maryland · Jr. · #9

6′4″ · 293 lb · Seffner, FL

New England — drafted 2019, Rd 5, Pick 21, #159 overall

Recruiting

3★

WDE recruit

No. 32 nationally · Joined Maryland

No college snaps yet.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

Former defensive lineman at Maryland. 2018: 3 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 38 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Maryland in 2018.
Drafted round 5 by the New England in 2019.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Three seasons at Maryland, 3 sacks — drafted at #159 overall by New England.

His career

He barely played early on. Then he did not come off the field.

201812 games

Signed with Maryland3-star out of Hillsborough C.C.

2019

Drafted by New Englandround 5, pick 159

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#32 national

CFB

College

2 teams

2016–2018

NFL

NFL Draft

R5 · #159

New England · 2019

Coaching lineage · 2016–2018

2 coaches

2016–2017

D.J. Durkin

Maryland

2018

Matt Canada

Maryland

era →

Coaching transition mid-career: D.J. Durkin → Matt Canada. Worth noting in scheme + development context.

Where He Ended Up · NFL

New EnglandEntering 8th NFL season

#159Rd 5 · Pick 21

New EnglandEntering 8th NFL season

View college career stats ↓

2018 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2016Auburn8-5HC: Gus Malzahn · Run-heavy

2017Auburn10-4HC: Gus Malzahn · Run-heavy

2018Maryland5-7HC: Matt Canada · Run-heavy, slow tempo

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

8 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: forced fumbles (95th percentile). Strength: sacks (86th percentile). Concern: passes defended (19th percentile).

Box-score production (8)

Forced fumbles#9 / 722 · 95th pct

Sacks#308 / 2662 · 86th pct

3.0

Tackles for loss#607 / 2662 · 76th pct

5.0

Interceptions#130 / 805 · 72nd pct

Tackles#1009 / 2662 · 61st pct

Solo tackles#1264 / 2662 · 51st pct

QB hurries#1228 / 2662 · 27th pct

Passes defended#1661 / 2662 · 19th pct

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2018 season · 12 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home7g	2.7	0.6	0.3	0.0
Road5g	3.8	0.2	0.2	0.0

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-76g	3.3	0.7	0.5	0.0
Weeks 8+6g	3.0	0.2	0.0	0.0

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Mike Locksley

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2018

Starter

A locked-in starting job.

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career stats

Season	Team
2018	Maryland	38	18	5.0	3.0	--	2	1
2017	Auburn	3	1	0.5	0.0	--	--	--
2016	Auburn	6	5	1.0	0.0	--	--	--
Career		47	24	6.5	3.0	--	2	1

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2018

W 34–29

vs Texas

2 TOT · 1 SOLO

Edged out Texas at home in a shootout.

With W. Lees — 1 TOT · 37 AVG · 4 IN 20 · J. Jones — 20 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · 28 rush yds (1 car) · 1 TD

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week