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#36 DB Nate Godwin
Senior, 5'11", 185 lbs.
2015 Stats: Godwin appeared in all 13 games last year and started 10, all at strong safety. He made 63 tackles, one tackle for loss, and broke up a pass.
Position on Depth Chart: Nate has moved down to become the starting "striker" in USF's 4-2-5 defense.
How He Came To USF: Godwin played at Freedom High School in Tampa. Nate was named to the Class 7A all-state third team as a senior in 2012, when he played both defensive back and running back for the Patriots. Godwin had been recruited by the previous coaching staff, but after Willie Taggart and his group took over, they were able to flip Nate from his commitment to Minnesota on Christmas Eve.
Recruiting Rankings: Nate was a three-star recruit across the board.
Projected Playing Time: Nate hasn't missed a game yet in his USF career. Last year Godwin's "striker" spot was called the "husky" spot and manned by Jamie Byrd, who made lots of plays at and behind the line of scrimmage (11.5 TFL, five sacks) as a hybrid linebacker-defensive back. Now Godwin will get the chance to record some of the flashy stats he hasn't been able to get from his safety position, as long as he stays healthy and holds up physically.
Follow Him On... Godwin is on Twitter at @_NG36 and on Instagram at iam_ng36.
Did You Know: If Godwin participates in every game USF plays this season, he will join an exclusive club of former Bulls who played in every possible game in their career. Nate can't break Jerome Murphy's all-time record of 52 games played, but he can tie for second at 51 if USF plays in a conference title game and a bowl.