Florida football: Five players Billy Napier says have stood out in spring practice
By Will Thomas
![Florida Gators outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen (33) grabs a dummy bag during the University of Florida Football 2023 Football Spring Practice Saturday morning, March 25, 2023 at Sanders Football Practice Field at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner]2023Gai Ufsrpingpractice325](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F42f43adc13d44304f985831fd610a2801de48db2230059d837782e34f8e90a02.jpg "Florida Gators outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen (33) grabs a dummy bag during the University of Florida Football 2023 Football Spring Practice Saturday morning, March 25, 2023 at Sanders Football Practice Field at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner]2023Gai Ufsrpingpractice325")
Florida football: Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr.
Napier didn’t have anything extra to say about Antwaun, but just mentioning his name tells us that Powell-Ryland is starting to be dangerous on the defensive front.
He came to the Gators in the recruitng class of 2019, and hasn’t seen enough of the field yet to really fill up the stat sheet. But this play from two years ago shows how much of a threat he can be heading into the backfield.
Nice bullrush from Antwaun Powell. pic.twitter.com/0Qf0fllDjI
— Derek (@_DTyson) September 5, 2021
Coming out of high school, Powell-Ryland was a top ten DE according to 247 Sports Composite rankings, and a top five player coming out of Virginia.
Since he’s gotten to Gainesville, he’s added ten pounds of muscle to his already impressive frame, and is ready to unleash on opposing offensive lines this year.
Last year in limited action he totaled 29 tackles and three sacks. He also quietly forced three fumbles on the year, with one against FSU, Texas A&M, and USF.
Antwaun also has the benefit of learning under guys like Princely and Brenton Cox Jr., so he knows what great defensive end play looks like.
He also won’t have a ton of pressure on him this season, as he figures to be on the second unit at best for the Gators’ defensive front.
Even if he doesn’t start, we’ll see a lot more of Antwaun this season. Entering his fourth year with the program, still without a ton of numbers to show for it, he’ll be hungry to prove that he can be a great DE in the SEC.