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New Jersey defensive end Tashawn Bower announced his commitment to LSU at Immaculata High on Wednesday, hours after reports that he had sent in his National Letter of Intent to Florida.
Bower had been an Auburn commitment, but reportedly was only a very soft commit to the Tigers entering this week; his flip to Florida would have been yet another one for Will Muschamp, who has gotten more than 10 committed recruits to change their minds on other schools and join the Gators in his three short years of recruiting as Florida's head coach.
Instead, it seems that Bower has delivered one of the first true shocks of National Signing Day by opting for LSU, a team few were fingering as his final dance partner, at his signing ceremony.
Bower is a four-star prospect and the No. 14 weakside defensive end in the class of 2013 according to Rivals, and ranks as the No. 193 overall prospect in the class of 2013 and the No. 13 strongside defensive end according to 247Sports' composite rankings. Bower would have been likely to cross-train at Florida's BUCK position and defensive end, and he's got great size (6'5", 241 pounds) for either one, and will likely only get bigger under Florida strength coach Jeff Dillman.
Now the Gators will see him every year in LSU's purple and gold.