Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. announces he will enter transfer portal
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators junior Jack linebacker Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr. announced he will enter the transfer portal. Powell-Ryland will have two years of eligibility left at his new school.
While Brenton Cox entered the season as the Gator’s starting Jack linebacker, it was Powell-Ryland that took over after Cox was dismissed from the team. He flourished in that increased role and had his best season in orange and blue with 29 tackles, including six tackles for a loss, three sacks, a team-high three forced fumbles, and a pass deflection.
“You see the progress in them, becoming a leader. He’s another one, doing all the right things. Not that he was not doing it last year, just didn’t know – I give all kids the benefit of the doubt of not knowing. He’s one of the kids that just didn’t know. He’s accepted it,” outside linebackers coach Mike Peterson said. “Him and Prince, I ride them hard, man. And I told them. I had to tell Prince. I said now, if the group is not doing something right, I’m not going to get on the younger guys. I’ll call you out, and they’ve accepted that.”
Powell-Ryland is just the second Gator to hit the transfer portal
Powell-Ryland was just the second Florida Gator to enter the transfer portal during the second window. Florida offensive lineman David Conner became the first player to leave the program this spring and has been removed from the roster. Conner was a mid-year enrollee last year, but in fall camp he suffered a thumb injury that required surgery. He made no game appearances as a true freshman and redshirted. With his departure, UF has 16 scholarship players remaining along the offensive line.
This spring, Princely Umanmielen moved from defensive end to EDGE (Jack). Umanmielen is the projected starter there but Powell-Ryland would have had a role. With his departure, the Gators will have redshirt sophomore Justus Boone, sophomore Jack Pyburn and true freshmen Kelby Collins, T.J. Searcy and Kamran James in the room.
The departure of Powell-Ryland will open the door for younger players and give Umanmielen a chance to have a breakout season.
“He’s the first one on the field, first one at practice. Just those little things. I talk to him about becoming a pro. If you were a pro player, what would you do? You’re not the last one in the building. You’re the first one in, the last one to leave,” Peterson said of Umanmielen. “And he’s accepted it, and you’ve seen some of the results of that in practice.”
