The dominoes are starting to fall in the Bulls 2023 recruiting class as the coaching staff lands S Tawfiq Byard, becoming the second addition to the group thus far. Covering the DMV safety and what this means for the future Bulls defense, let’s get after it!
S Tawfiq Byard (DeMatha Catholic)
Committed to the Bulls on June 25th, Byard becomes the first defensive commitment to the 2023 recruiting class, joining RB DJ Oliver as the second member of the class thus far. For those not familiar, DeMatha Catholic is one of the premier high school football programs in the country, churring out college football players left and right. To date, Tawfiq currently has offers to Boston College, Louisville, Ole Miss, West Virginia, and Liberty to name a few
Fun Fact: Tawfiq’s brother is Kevin Byard, 2x All-Pro Safety for the Tennessee Titans
Mike’s Take
Gotta love recruiting ties to other parts of the country with Director of Scouting Will Bahler and Defensive Coordinator Bob Shoop leading the charge in Tawfiq’s recruitment. Watching the film, Byard’s game is very similar to his NFL brother, showing the ability to come down on the line scrimmage in run defense along with being a ball-hawking safety while in coverage. Tawfiq has the makings of being one of the better safeties in the American Athletic Conference and I’m excited to see how he continues to develop whether in his last year at DeMatha and/or when he joins the USF program in 2023. Welcome to the Bulls Tawfiq!
USF Football Class of 2023
| # | Name | Pos. | School | 247 | Rivals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connor Knight | DL | Hewitt-Trussville | 0.8652 | 5.6 |
| 2 | Tawfiq Byard | S | DeMatha Catholic | 0.8478 | 5.5 |
| 3 | DJ Oliver | RB | Port Saint Joe | 0.8417 | 5.5 |