A junior prospect currently ranked inside the top 200 of his class and among the top 20 defensive linemen in Pennsylvania. His measurables still hold true at 6’2, 275 pounds. He posted his first four tape back in mid September, which is what I’m basing this evaluation on. He has since posted two single game cutups after his first three highlight tape. Excited to see a new, concise midseason tape, hopefully within the next week or two.

His first four tape starts with him aligned head up on a tackle in a four down lineman front. This is the exact type of alignment I think he can play from at the next level, he gets a better get off and then offensive lineman on this snap, moves inside, leading Powell to blow up a guard two yards behind the line of scrimmage, which in turn blows up the fullback. He is still able to shed and assist on what becomes a tackle for loss.

Out of that same four down lineman front, Powell can align at defensive end, which is an intriguing spot for him, particularly as a weak side defensive end. He combines lower body strength with impressive limb strength to set the edge and force runs back inside on his own. Based on this rep alone, he is likely a beast in the weight room. Leg drive, low pad level and upper body strength all show up.

He carries a ton of traits that point toward a near Division I grade. His bull rush can be dominant enough to create quarterback pressures simply by driving his matchup backward into the pocket. He does this several times on tape.

Halfway through his junior season, Powell looks like the top 200 prospect I thought he was.

Justin Powell Justin Powell 6'2" | 275 lbs | DL/OL McKeesport | 2028 State PA is a good defensive tackle. He does a great job of maintaining gap control. He is hard to move off his spot because of his size (6’2″) and strength. He also shows a motor that never stops. That never-quit effort helps him to finish a ton of plays by making tackles. His ability to maintain one-two gaps by having a motor allows him to play at a high level. Powell is a talented defensive player.