New York Giants Draft Prospect: Edge Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech

Antwaun Powell-Ryland became Virginia Tech’s first player to eclipse double-digit sacks during a season since 2005.

Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Edge

Height: 6’3”
Weight: 258 lbs
Class: Senior
School: Virginia Tech
Hand size: 9 ⅝”
Arm length: 31 ¼”
40-yard-dash: 4.69s
10-yard-split: 1.64s
Vertical Jump: 36 ½”
Broad Jump: 10’4”
STATS

A former four-star recruit out of Indian River High School in Portsmouth, Virginia, where he was the ninth-ranked recruit in his state and the 14th WDE in the 2020 recruiting cycle.

Powell-Ryland initially attended Florida for three seasons, where he played 575 total defensive snaps. He entered the transfer portal after 2022 as a three-star recruit, and he became a Hokie.

He played over 1,100 defensive snaps over those two seasons, recording 48 pressures in consecutive seasons.

Powell-Ryland was named First Team All-AAC and AP Third Team All-American in 2024. He also received the Dudley Award in 2024 for being the top college football player in Virginia.

He was Second-Team All-ACC in 2023. Antwaun Powell-Ryland was in attendance at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Strengths

Solid frame with short arms and good thickness
Sufficient overall athlete with a good first-step
Good explosiveness with low center of gravity
Stays low through his first three steps w/ good high side rush
Leverages hand usage / strike timing / multiple moves to win as rusher
Does a solid job cornering into the pocket at the top of the arc
Good overall bend in his lower half to dip around contact
Combines feet + adept hand usage to create separation up the arc
Very smart and savvy pass rusher
Attempts a spin move – could be refined
Varies his tempo and hand usage – keeps OL guessing
Solid strength and push – explodes low to high into contact for power moves
Violent & heavy hands generate force – has finesse to his game
Has counter moves and understands how to set OTs up
Solid mover in twist game as looper – brings force as hammer
Experience rushing wide, as a 4i, 5T, and in two-point all across the LOS
Good, hard tackler who finishes with strength
Solid overall against the run – can set an edge against average competition
Excellent backside pursuit defender against the run
Collapses inside well against the run
Solid eyes as read defender
HOT motor

Antwaun Powell-Ryland - Virgina Tech- DE -6'3 - 258lbs

Shrine Bowl. Combine. Powell-Ryland was a PROBLEM in 1v1s and tested well. He needs to be talked about more, he produced 16 sacks in 2024. Polished rusher with an array of moves#NFLDraft2025 #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/MLx6FOYMMb
— Jad Kurosaki (OSU NATTY CHAMPS) (@sIotreceiver) March 1, 2025

Weaknesses

Short arms, lacks ideal size
Lack of length and ideal speed are a combination he’ll have to overcome
Concerns about him setting an edge against better OT at the next level
Gets overly eager and aggressive as tackler – could stand to come square and attack; 19.1% missed tackle rate in college

Summary

Antwaun Powell-Ryland carries a power punch to his rushes and offers multiple pass-rushing moves. He does a good job getting up the arc and maximizing sufficient lower-body flexion by though his adaptive hands, his good explosiveness, and his low center of gravity.

Powell-Ryland is a smart rusher who can pin his ears back from multiple positions. Antwaun Powell-Ryland is not a poor run defender, but his lack of length and only average play strength may lead to some trouble against better NFL offensive tackles and double teams at the next level.

Overall, he was a productive rusher in college who will have a role in the NFL but may lack the length, ideal play strength, and athletic traits to be a consistent three-down contributor.

GRADE: 6.21

Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart | Nick Falato

Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Edge

Strengths

Weaknesses

Summary

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