Antwaun Powell-Ryland, EDGE, Virginia Tech
Size:
Height: 6025
Weight: 258
Arm: 31 ¼”
Hand: 9 ⅝”
Accomplishments:
Second Team All-ACC (2023)
“Antwuan Powell-Ryland is a diversified pass rusher with varying speeds, angles, and hand counters to consistently win the edge from altering alignments.”
Strengths:
Powerful frame
Strong hands and hand counters
Pass-rush repertoire
Discipline and success vs. zone read
Concerns:
Stack/shed
Lane discipline
Utilization of length
Film Analysis:
Antwuan Powell-Ryland is a diversified pass rusher with varying speeds, angles, and hand counters to consistently win the edge from altering alignments. He’s a highly productive pass rusher in the ACC with success both as LE and RE inside a defensive architecture.
As a pass rusher, Powell-Ryland showcases a mature repertoire with an outstanding blend of speed, power, bend, and technicality at the position. Can win strictly as an athlete with speed to the outside shoulder or with a powerful and smooth up and under, swim, club-rip, and inside spin move. What’s also impressive in his game is his balance when faced with contact, where Powell-Ryland is rarely jolted back, consistently working through blocks and into the opponent's chest. Linemen that are unable to establish leverage quickly can be embarrassed early in the rep.
While not the biggest or strongest athlete on a roster, Powell-Ryland plays with spring-loaded hands that can put opponents of all sizes on their heels. He has excellent striking technique and can vary his punch timing and speeds from different alignments and angles at the top of his rush. He’s a high-effort player who never stops churning his legs at contact. Good burst off the snap and does well to stay low a majority of the time to reduce the surface area for opponents to target.
Against the run, Powell-Ryland does well to set the edge and is an athlete who thrives against zone-reads and as a backside pursuit defender. Displays patient eyes to read and react as the end man on the line of scrimmage. Does a nice job of keeping feet active and is quick to pursue ball-carriers. Powell-Ryland can make plays inside his gap and has the versatility and athleticism to roam and make plays at or beyond the line some yards away from his initial alignment. He’s a sound tackler in condensed areas who plays at full speed 100% of the time. Really good athlete at 5-tech who can also challenge quicker ball-carriers to the boundary. Takes on blocks well but would like to see more consistency in that area.
Concerns remain about the occasional lack of discipline in his rush lanes, which allow dual-threat signal-callers to escape through his vacated alley. This is a coachable trait, however. Would also like to see him evolve a long arm into his repertoire due to his bend, balance, and evident power.
Overall, Powell-Ryland projects immediately as a contributor along an NFL front with a legitimate pass-rush repertoire and tools that translate. He can win with speed, win with power, has great hands, above average bend, and often puts quarterbacks in the dirt if given the chance. He has experience rushing as a 5, wide nine, and 4i, and has also been used as a blitzer standing up within the interior. Teams in need of an explosive and nuanced pass rusher that can win in a variety of ways, including after initial contact, will prioritize Powell-Ryland—a mature and highly productive potential three-down defender at the next level.
Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Winning Starter
Written By: Ryan Fowler
Exposures: Clemson (2024), Miami (2024), Boston College (2024)
