PORT ST. LUCIE –– In the gymnasium at St. Lucie West Centennial High, three hats — Miami, Florida and Alabama — sat on a table in front of senior Jay-nard Bostwick. Though Bostwick appeared undecided, his mind was already made up.
Bostwick picked up the blue Gators cap, put it on and proceeded to sign his letter of intent to play football for coach Will Muschamp.
“I really narrowed it down last night,” Bostwick said. “I thought about the [Southeastern Conference] and the opportunity I had with the Gators. I knew that they’re a competitive team and probably have a good chance to go to another bowl game.”
When Bostwick first arrived at Centennial, he didn’t have much experience playing football. The defensive tackle had only played a few games for the Port St. Lucie Athletic Association Youth Football Program during his eighth-grade year before suffering a lower back injury.
Bostwick possessed raw talent, and Centennial coach Ron Parker saw potential. Bostwick’s positive attitude and energy helped him become just the second player in Centennial history to play varsity football as a freshman.
Parker never regretted the decision.
“The biggest thing I told the scouts is, ‘He doesn’t take plays off in practice,’” Parker said. “My son had to line up against [Bostwick] last year. He turned around and looked at me, and I said, ‘Well, good luck.’ And there he went flying through the air. But Jay-nard’s a very respectful player. He’ll knock you down, pick you up and just be ready for the next play.”
As a junior, Bostwick recorded 74 tackles, including seven tackles for a loss and two sacks. Bostwick hoped to put up even bigger numbers during his senior campaign, but Parker made a decision that hurt Bostwick’s stats.
“I dismissed a starting defensive end on the other side … because he didn’t do what he was supposed to do,” Parker said. “So, Jay-nard had to move around a lot. We put him in the middle, they’d run outside. We put him on the edge, they’d run to the other side. So, it was frustrating.”
Still, Bostwick tallied 73 tackles with seven tackles for a loss during a 1-8 season. Bostwick finished his high school career with 176 tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, three sacks and one fumble recovery.
When Bostwick first started playing football, he never thought he would continue playing past high school. But the four-star recruit’s talents quickly earned him recognition and scholarship offers to 19 colleges.
Bostwick then narrowed his list down to six. After cutting Michigan State, Oklahoma and Oregon, only three remained.
The Crimson Tide was the first of the final three eliminated. Bostwick didn’t want to attend school out of state.
The decision between the Hurricanes and the Gators proved tough for the senior.
Bostwick has strong family ties to Miami. His cousin, Thurston Armbrister, is a UM linebacker. Although Bostwick calls Miami home, he put family ties aside and picked UF.
“I just knew [Florida] had the facilities to take care of me,” Bostwick said. “Everyone assured me that they’d be by my side the whole way through, and I know that I have a good opportunity to have early playing time. It’s in the SEC, so I had to go where there’s the best competition.”
Muschamp added: “Jay-nard was a young man that really came down to three schools, and we were real pleased to get him here on the last visit. He had a great visit, and we felt very comfortable. Travaris Robinson did a great job recruiting him throughout the entire process.”
With Sharrif Floyd and Omar Hunter gone from Florida’s roster, Bostwick will join a host of Gators competing for time at defensive tackle. Bostwick will battle Leon Orr, Darious Cummings, Caleb Brantley, Damien Jacobs and Dominique Easley to play inside.
“I can’t guarantee nothing, and they told me that they can’t guarantee me nothing, but they said I have a really good chance of playing freshman year,” Bostwick said. “I’m just going to go out there and work my hardest and try to get on the field.”
Contact Katie Agostin at kagostin@alligator.org.
