A sixth-round pass rusher who racked up 16 sacks at Virginia Tech in 2024 and is now hunting for a permanent NFL home in Cincinnati.
Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. is a linebacker who arrives in Cincinnati after a whirlwind rookie year that included multiple roster moves in Philadelphia. The Virginia native converted from linebacker to defensive end at Virginia Tech and turned into one of the most disruptive pass rushers in college football before the Eagles drafted him in 2025.
Path to the league
Powell-Ryland began his college career at Florida from 2020 to 2022 before transferring to Virginia Tech, where he converted to defensive end and became an immediate starter in 2023. The Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the sixth round, 209th overall, of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
In his final season at Virginia Tech in 2024, Powell-Ryland started all 12 games he played and racked up 43 tackles and 16 sacks, a total that ranked third in the entire FBS. That production made him one of the more productive pass-rush prospects available in the 2025 draft class despite going in the sixth round.
2025 season recap
Powell-Ryland's rookie year in Philadelphia was turbulent: he was waived during final cuts, added to the practice squad, released days before the season, re-signed a month later, then released again. The Cincinnati Bengals signed him to their practice squad on November 10, 2025, and he closed the year there before signing a reserve/future contract in January 2026.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Antwaun Powell-Ryland
- ESPN: Antwaun Powell-Ryland
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Virginia Tech
- Hometown
- Portsmouth, VA, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
