Brent Pry reacts to Antwaun Powell-Ryland being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles
In this story:
The Philadelphia Eagles selected Virginia Tech defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. with the 209th pick.
Powell-Ryland lit up opposing offenses since his transfer to Virginia Tech. Powell-Ryland recorded the third most sacks in the nation (16) last season and received the Dudley Award for the top college football player in Virginia. Powell-Ryland was also First-Team All-ACC in 2024 after being Second-Team All-ACC the year prior.
Here is what Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry had to say about Powell-Ryland.
“The thing I love about APR is his fierce, competitive spirit. He never backs down from a challenge, in practice or a game. APR is a technician with his hands. He plays with great leverage and pad level and is always around the ball. His exceptional instincts as a pass rusher make him a constant disruptor who excels at making impactful plays"
Powell-Ryland spent three years at Florida before finding his footing at Virginia Tech. He recorded 4.5 sacks as a Gator and 34 total tackles. He forced three fumbles in his final year at Florida.
The Virginia native was invited to the NFL Combine where he produced these numbers.
- Height: 6’ 3’’
- Weight: 258 lbs
- Hand Size: 9 5/8’’
- Arm Length: 31 1/4’’
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.69 (1.64 10-yard split)
- Vertical Jump: 36.5’’
- Broad Jump: 10’ 4’’
Here is the scouting report on Powell-Ryalnd courtesy of NFL Network analyst Lance Zierlein:
"Powell-Ryland used smart hands and a diversified rush plan to accumulate 25.5 sacks over the last two seasons. He lacks length and speed but creates pressures by remaining varied and unpredictable. He uses accurate, violent hands to eliminate the punch and kick-start his bull rush. Powell-Ryland plays with a sturdy base and good leverage at the point, but he’s unlikely to control the edge. NFL length will limit his early wins, so he’ll need to keep developing his counters. The production is hard to ignore but modest traits and average athleticism will make it tough for his numbers to translate to the next level.
Strengths
- Varies stride length, tempo and entry angles as a rusher.
- Leverage to drive the tackle back into the pocket.
- Rush counters are natural and effective.
- Plays with good pad level and heavy punch.
- Effective use of hands to slip around kick-out blocks.
- Punishing hitter/tackler when ending the play.
Weaknesses
- Below-average get-off and suddenness in his rush.
- Unable to flip his hips past the blocker at the top of the arc.
- Average closing burst to finish it off.
- Lacks standard size and length on the edge.
- Will struggle to stand his ground in tests of strength.
- Lack of length allows runners to slip from his grasp.
NFL Next Gen Stats revealed a 76 overall rating for Powell-Ryland going in depth with a further 6.00 rating labeled with "Traits or talent to be above-average backup"
Below is a description of NFL's Next Gen Stats.
The Next Gen Stats Draft Model analyzes historical NFL Combine, pro day, and college production data to predict a prospect's chances of success in the NFL. The results of the model are transformed into composite scores, ranging from 50 to 99, which represent the athleticism, college performance, and overall profile of an NFL prospect.
Related Links:
LIVE Updates: Virginia Tech Softball vs Cal Game Two Score
Brent Pry reacts to Dorian Strong being drafted to the Buffalo Bills
Connor is a recent graduate from the esteemed Sports Media and Analytics program at Virginia Tech. He first found himself writing for recruiting database Rivals.com for just about two years before moving to Virginia Tech On SI. Connor has interviewed some of the highest-ranking members of Virginia Tech Athletics and looks to one day be a full-time writer covering Manchester United, his favorite soccer team.