Antwaun Powell-Ryland NFL Draft 2025: Scouting Report for Virginia Tech EDGE

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 258

HAND: 9⅝”

ARM: 31¼”

WINGSPAN: 75⅜”

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40-YARD DASH: 4.69

VERTICAL: 36.5"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSTIVES

— Excellent production as a pass-rusher with 25.5 sacks over the last two seasons, including 16 in 2024.

— Solid get-off that he pairs well with either a rip or cross-chop move to help win around the edge.

— Sets up his pass-rush moves well by getting to square on the offensive lineman.

— Impressive use of hands as a pass-rusher. Works the offensive tackle's hands well and plays the game within the game by flashing his hands and taking them away to get the tackle off-balance.

— Decent bend at the top of the rush.

— High-motor rusher to get coverage sacks.

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NEGATIVES

— Has very short arms, which allows offensive tackles to get into his body when rushing the passer.

— Will get washed inside when working an inside move and tackles get their hands on him. Lacks the strength to fight back and continue working up the field.

— Below-average at turning speed to power or winning with power as a pass-rusher.

— Not a factor as a run defender. Struggles setting the edge and will have a hard time anchoring against offensive tackles and good blocking tight ends in the NFL.

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NOTES

— Born Feb. 23, 2002

— 4-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2019 High School (Missed most of Senior year with shoulder injury)

— Played at Florida from 2020 to 2022 before transferring to Virginia Tech in 2023

— 2023 Honorable Mention All-American, Second-Team All-ACC

— 2024 Third-Team All-American, First-Team All-ACC

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OVERALL

Antwuan Powell-Ryland has the potential to become a third-down rusher in the NFL. He has nuance as a pass-rusher, setting up his pass-rush moves well during the stem phase of the rush and using some deception with his hands to get offensive tackles off-balance.

Powell-Ryland also has a handful of moves he can win with. He's shown good cross-chop, rip and double-hand swipe moves with solid bend to win around the edge. Additionally, he has a good pass-rush motor to get coverage and clean up sacks.

However, the Virginia Tech product's poor arm length could be detrimental in the NFL. Offensive tackles will be able to make the first significant contact consistently, which could prevent him from using the moves mentioned above. While he is good at working offensive linemen's hands, long-limbed NFL tackles will likely give him a lot of trouble.

Overall, Powell-Ryland's sack production and pass-rush skills are worth taking a flier on in the later rounds of the draft, but his lack of length and ability to contribute against the run could take him off some teams' boards.

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GRADE: 5.9 (Backup/Draftable — 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 244

POSITION RANK: EDGE26

PRO COMPARISON: Shades of Markus Golden

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder