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Indiana OL Dylan Powell Granted 6th Year of Eligibility from NCAA

Dylan Powell, a graduate transfer from Stanford who signed with Indiana in January, has been granted a sixth-year of eligibility by the NCAA, and will now have two years to play for the Hoosiers.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Graduate transfer Dylan Powell got some good news from the NCAA on Monday, when the organization granted the Indiana offensive lineman a sixth year of eligibility.

Powell, a 6-foot-3, 300-pound interior lineman, will now have two years of eligibility remaining at Indiana since transferring from Stanford in January. He is a graduate transfer, which means he is eligible to play in 2020.

"I just got word that the NCAA approved my request for another year of eligibility,'' Powell said on Twitter. "All the glory to God! I can’t wait to spend these next two seasons playing with my brothers and striving to take Indiana football to another level! LEO''

When he was a freshman at Stanford in 2016, he was redshirted his first year, which happens often with linemen as they bulk up while making the transition from high school ball to big-time college football. 

But then Powell had to miss the entire 2019 season because of a torn labrum. Powell and Indiana's coaches were hoping the NCAA would grant that extra year of eligibility, but those waivers are never a guarantee.

 Indiana recruiting heavily along the offensive line this year because of the graduation  of center Hunter Littlejohn and guard Simon Stepaniak, and he departure of senior Coy Cronk, who graduated from Indiana in December and decided to play his final year of college football at Iowa.

Indiana's 2020 class included five high school linemen, but Powell's experience was a huge plus because of all the attrition along the way in this senior class. He balances out the room a bit, and he's also capable of helping out and either guard spot or at center.

In the spring, the 6-foot-3, 300-pounder from Hannibal, Mo., was practicing at guard, but he also has the ability to play center. Senior Harry Crider, who played left guard last season, can also play center.

Powell is one of two former Stanford players to transfer to Indiana this offseason. Jovan Swann, a defensive tackle who is from Greenwood, Ind., came back home to finish his career. He graduated from Stanford in May and will have one year of eligibility remaining.