Name: Antwaun Powell
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 234 lbs
Hometown: Portsmouth, Va.
High School: Indian River High School
Twitter: @TwaunPowell
247Sports Composite: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐
Overview:
The Florida Gators reached into Old Dominion for Powell, securing the four-star’s commitment on June 26, 2019.
Playing his high school football for the Indian River Braves in Chesapeake, Powell was rated as the No. 10 weak-side defensive end in the class and a top-three player in the state, per the 247Sports Composite.
Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 234 pounds, he displayed excellent burst off the line of scrimmage during his prep days and has room to add size to his current frame.
One thing worth keeping an eye on with Powell, however, is the two surgeries he has had on the same shoulder, the first in the fall of 2018 and the second last November. Playing a position as physical as defensive end, Gator fans should hope these problems do not continue at the collegiate level.
Injury concerns aside, he was one of the most sought-after pass-rushers in the class, choosing Florida over the Duke Blue Devils, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, North Carolina Tar Heels, Oklahoma Sooners, and Virginia Tech Hokies, who are located roughly five years northwest of Chesapeake in Blacksburg.
Signing his National Letter of Intent (LOI) during December’s Early Signing Period, Powell enrolled early in January, allowing himself to become familiar with his coaches, teammates, and life as a Southeastern Conference (SEC) student-athlete before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic threw a wrench in things.
He is one of two listed defensive ends in the class for the Gators, joining Princely Umanmielen, a fellow four-star from Manor, Texas. Fort Lauderdale’s Derek Wingo is officially listed as an outside linebacker, but projects to play the hybrid BUCK position for defensive coordinator Todd Grantham in Gainesville.
Powell is the seventh-highest rated of Florida’s 21 enrollees in the 2020 cycle and the fifth-highest on the defensive side of the football.
Due to his frame and quickness, he profiles as a multi-year starter for Grantham and defensive line coach David Turner.
Video:
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