*****The Cornell Powell Thread*****

[Dante84]

MY GUY!!!!!

More to come!

Powell was a top-50 prospect nationally coming out of Greenville, North Carolina, but struggled during his first four years on campus to get playing time ahead of talented pass catchers Mike Williams, Tee Higgins, Justyn Ross, Hunter Renfrow, Deon Cain, Ray-Ray McCloud, Amari Rodgers, Artavis Scott and Diondre Overton (plus Jordan Leggett at tight end). He played in nine games as a reserve in 2016 (12 receptions, 87 yards, 7.3 average) and 14 games in 2017 (eight receptions, 57 yards, one touchdown, 7.1 average; three kick returns, 65 yards, 21.7 average). Powell redshirted his third year with the national-champion Tigers but played in four games (five receptions, 63 yards, 12.6 average; four kick returns, 117 yards, 29.3 average) as a backup while maintaining the year of eligibility. He was a larger part of Clemson's offense in 2019 (15 receptions, 122 yards, 8.1 average, two touchdowns). With Higgins off to the pros and Ross sidelined due to a spinal condition, Powell played well enough to earn third-team All-ACC honors (53 receptions, 882 yards, 16.6 average, seven touchdowns). He accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl. -- by Chad Reuter

Overview
Unique evaluation as a wideout who came into the program as a four-star recruit, never beat out talent in front of him and then put together impressive tape in his single season as full-time starter. Powell is well-skilled beyond the career production as he's clearly taken in the coaching and learned from others at the position. He's smooth but will have to win with route polish and competitiveness as his long speed and separation burst appear to be very average, which could lead to a higher number of contested catches outside the Clemson offense. The tape is good but the testing will be important as teams grapple with the single season of production. Powell will be an NFL backup, at worst.
Strengths

• Moves around the field with smooth gait.
• Leverages route turns against tight man coverage.
• Sneaky hand fighting to create separation.
• Clears out catch space at the top of his routes.
• Showed and proved as downfield ball-tracker and body-stacker.
• Athletic in air with outstanding body control and catch instincts.
• Plucks it at high-point and hides it away from swatting hands.
• Plus hand-eye coordination through noisy catch-points.
• Quarterback's friend with sudden but soft hands.
• Will go get the football where it is thrown.
• Gets run-ready even before completing hitch catch.
• Not overly elusive but makes tacklers miss after catch.
• Has ability as a stalk and wall-off blocker.

Weaknesses

• Only one year over 15 catches and 125 yards in a season.
• High-cut with limited wiggle in his movements.
• Expect average release success against press.
• Drive gear doesn't seem to generate panic in cornerbacks.
• Route fakes lack salesmanship.
• Below-average separation burst.
• Route asks were rather basic at Clemson.
• Dropped easy would-be touchdown catch headed into end zone against Virginia Tech.

.@CornellPowell17 is coming in to compete, and we simply can't wait! pic.twitter.com/45HcSEWAia

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 2, 2021

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Chris Conley upside. For a 6th rounder, Id be cool with that.

I was just thinking this guy may be what Conley was supposed to be. I was big on Conley when we drafted him, but he just never really had the burst i had hoped for.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by Dante84

Also pretty crazy to think that in the games where blows up, a lot of the passes were from the (still good) backup QB.

Yup, 2 of his best games.

He was so good down the stretch and just looks like an NFL WR on tape.

I think he’s your starting X by the end of the year or 2022 at the latest.

[Discuss Thrower]

The Jon Baldwin that was Promised

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

The Jon Baldwin that was Promised

This name still irks me.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Dunerdr

This name still irks me.

Yeah I get I'm running the risk of that post reading like a troll but that wasn't the intent.

[Dunerdr]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Yeah I get I'm running the risk of that post reading like a troll but that wasn't the intent.

I didnt take it that way. He was probably a decent fella but im glad Thomas Jones got one in on him!

[Kiimo]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

The only knock seems to be that he's not lightning quick, but he has the same 40 time as Antonio Brown.

I do think he looks slow in those clips but I'm also used to Tyreek so

[Dante84]

Maybe I'm crazy but, Powell in the 5th over Marshall in the 2nd is fine by me.

Marshall has 3 inches more and 3 years less than Powell, but he also had a foot injury. They had very similar 2020 campaigns, too.

Powell had 5 more catches and 100 more yards, and Marshall had 3 more touchdowns. But as you can see in the videos above, there were a few plays where Powell was tackled inside the 10 & 5 yard lines.

[Kiimo]

Marshall was never my love anyway, I had to the hots for Rashod Bateman and welp this always happens.

A year ago I thought Davanta Smith would fall to us haha

[BigCatDaddy]

The next Anquan Bolden

[ThyKingdomCome15]

This kid is a does his damage within 15 yards. He can really cut and runs some beautiful routes. Very good after the catch. He's very similar to Sammy but not quite as explosive or fast.

He's gonna be one helluva zone buster. I'll take Bolton and Powell over Marshall and whoever else would have been there. I don't believe Bolton would have been there with our last second round pick.

[Skyy God]

The Ringer has Watkins as his comp.

https://www.theringer.com/2021/5/4/2...-sleeper-picks

“ The Chiefs’ passing offense has run heavily through the team’s top two receiving targets in Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill over the past couple of years, leaving an assortment of role-playing pass catchers rotating in as Patrick Mahomes’s tertiary option. But Sammy Watkins is now in Baltimore, and the likes of Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle, and Demarcus Robinson have all failed to show much consistency or dependability in the team’s passing game. That could create an opportunity for the team’s fifth-round pick, Powell.

The four-star recruit was a late bloomer at Clemson, playing a reserve role his first four years there before breaking out as a redshirt senior, grabbing 53 catches for 882 yards and seven touchdowns in 2020. My pre-draft pro comparison for Powell was, interestingly enough, Sammy Watkins; he’s big, physical at the catch point, can stretch a defense deep, and offers some big-play potential―so when the Chiefs grabbed him as a Watkins replacement, it did pique my interest. He’ll have to really impress coaches in the preseason to leapfrog Hardman, Pringle, Robinson, and a handful of others, but if he can show consistency as a route runner and the ability to win on the outside when given the chance, he could earn a role as the team’s no. 3 receiving option sooner rather than later.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by ThyKingdomCome15

This kid is a does his damage within 15 yards. He can really cut and runs some beautiful routes. Very good after the catch. He's very similar to Sammy but not quite as explosive or fast.

He's gonna be one helluva zone buster. I'll take Bolton and Powell over Marshall and whoever else would have been there. I don't believe Bolton would have been there with our last second round pick.

He’s not overly fast, but with his route running, size/strength, and body control, he has enough speed to win deep as well. Pretty sure he was one of, if not the best, in CFB last year at 40+ yard plays.

[Discuss Thrower]

.. if Powell had transferred because of playing time: would that have been seen as a knock on his character?

[Deberg_1990]

Why did He get drafted so low?