Commitment Spotlight: Peyton Powell

*Disclaimer – We did not evaluate Peyton Powell as a QB, but he will get a chance to play the position at Texas. We evaluated Powell primarily as a WR, but he could also very well end up as a DB at Texas.

With the potential early departure of Collin Johnson and/or Lil’Jordan Humphrey, the wide receiver is a position of need for the Longhorns. The biggest need is on the outside, particularly a deep-threat playmaker. Texas has Devin Duvernay, but he only retains one more year of eligibility and his production has been lacking mid-way through the 2018 season.

Enter Odessa Permian ATH Peyton Powell.

Although Powell plays quarterback for Odessa Permian, he likely won’t play the position in college. He is a run-first type of threat at the position with all of the qualities needed to be a productive receiver at the next level. The initial comparison out of high school is to Quandre Diggs — who played QB for most of his time at Angleton before becoming an elite defensive back for the Longhorns. Powell is a high ceiling type of prospect that will take several years to develop, but can become a solid contributor at outside receiver in due time.

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Pros:

Possesses good size (6’2, 182) for an outside receiver that will be used as a vertical threat.

Has good straight-line speed. His 4.45 40-yard dash shows when he’s in the pads.

Displays great vision with the ball in his hands. Is able to find holes or bounce outside and get positive yardage when his offensive line can’t create a crease.

His speed should give him an ability to get separation from defenders.

Demonstrates good footwork, especially when bouncing outside. Will help translate to efficient route running at the next level.

Protects the ball well, both in the air and on carries.

Shows the ability to break tackles and elude defenders in space. [/one-half-first]

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Cons:

Lacks tape at any position other than QB. Hard to project his floor or ceiling at the position.

Needs a few years to add size to his frame and learn the position.

Will likely need to learn how to play physically. Most athletes that are placed at a skill position have a learning curve regarding physical toughness. At receiver, this means learning to block.

Don’t know much about his hands. Has good length, but it may take him a while to learn how to catch with his hands as opposed to his body.

Not much competition. Powell is a superior athlete, and it shows. Would like to see how he competes with players of his caliber. [/one-half]

Summary

Peyton Powell is a quarterback at Permian Odessa who projects as an athlete in college. Most of Powell’s evaluations have him at wide receiver, but some schools like Ohio State like his potential as a defensive back. With Texas signing a historic defensive back class last season, Powell likely projects to wide receiver for the Longhorns.

Although all of Powell’s film is at QB, some traits still stand out that show the potential for a solid vertical threat at outside wide receiver. The first thing that stands out is Powell’s speed. His 4.45 40-yard dash definitely shows in the pads. Powell is an elite runner that displays an ability to elude defenders. Not only that, but Powell also displays a decent tackle-breaking ability and elite footwork. Powell’s footwork should help make the transition over to wide receiver smoother, as he may be able to pick up on route running more quickly. Powell’s straight-line speed and his elusiveness make him an intriguing prospect at the outside receiver position, especially when Texas is needing a consistent vertical threat on the outside.

Final Verdict

Gaining a commitment from a highly-touted athlete such as Powell is always a win for any blue blood program, especially when numbers at his projected position are needed. Texas entered the picture for Powell in May, but didn’t maintain contact until earlier this month. When the contact reinitiated, Powell reciprocated the interest and took an official visit to Austin for the Baylor game. Powell was extremely impressed with the visit, and felt that he could fit with the Texas offense perfectly.

With Powell now in the boat for Texas, the wide receiver numbers get really interesting for the Longhorns’ 2019 class (even though Powell won’t count against those numbers since he is an ATH). Texas already had Jake Smith, Jordan Whittington, and Demariyon Houston in the class before Powell’s commitment. Ideally the Longhorns wanted to take 4, maybe 5 receivers in this class. With Kennedy Lewis, Elijah Higgins, and Bru McCoy still in the picture, things will get interesting from a numbers standpoint. Texas may end up not using Powell at wide receiver, but that is ultimately his best projection in college. For now, Powell is a solid addition to a solid wideout corps in the 2019 class.