UConn’s Jasper Howard Was A Rising Star
ByUConn cornerback Jasper Howard came to the University of Connecticut to get away from trouble in his hometown of Miami and capitalize on his ability as a football player. He was well on his way to becoming one of the best defensive players in the history of UConn’s football program and his name was being tossed around scouting circles as a rising 
prospect in the 2011 NFL Draft before he was killed over the weekend by a single stab wound to the abdomen after a dance held at the UConn Student Union. Howard was also expected to become a father soon.
Howard was coming off the best game of his career against Louisville on Saturday when he made 11 tackles, forced and recovered a fumble and held Louisville’s tall receiving group in check. Howard was third on the team in tackles this season and was even more valuable as a prospect because of his ability to return punts. Last season, on top of his four interceptions, Howard brought a punt back 69 yards to the house to seal a victory against Syracuse. Big East quarterbacks had been avoiding Howard this season but his leadership and lock down ability had led to 10 interceptions for his fellow defensive players.
Howard had uncanny ball skills and his ability to close in on wide receivers was his strong point. A consensus top 25 player in the nation at his position in the class of 2011, Jazz allowed the UConn defense to easily recover from the loss of CB Darius Butler and DE/LB Cody Brown to the NFL Draft last season. The Husky defense went from a group that was in question early in the season to the heart and soul of their football team in a matter of weeks thanks to his consistency. Howard made everyone around him better, something a coach wishes he could say about every player on his team. He was quickly becoming another one of coach Randy Edsall’s underrated recruits that used being overlooked as motivation to drive him to the NFL.
Jasper Howard left game tapes filled with highlights, memories filled with smiles and a life story filled with inspiration that tragically ended too soon.
