Eagles Film Review: Antwaun Powell-Ryland could have a role as a pass-rush specialist

A closer look at Philadelphia’s tenth pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

With the 2025 NFL Draft over, it’s time for some film rooms on the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie class. I will try to get to all 10 draft picks and the UDFAs over the next few weeks. Loads of scouting reports will say very similar things, so I have tried to include film clips to back up everything and I will talk about the player’s fit with the Eagles at the end of the piece. I managed to get the All22 for several rookies, but I can’t share those clips on my Twitter accounts (or I risk getting blocked), so I’ve used a few other accounts here. Let’s go!

You can check out my podcast feed here to hear more from me. I have a Patreon linked to my podcast if you want to support me further. Due to being unable to share All22 on Twitter, I am doing All22 watch-alongs on every Eagles’ rookie on the Patreon, which is really cool!

Previously: Jihaad Campbell / Andrew Mukuba / Ty Robinson / Mac McWilliams / Smael Mondon / Drew Kendall / Kyle McCord / Cameron Williams

Strengths

+ He is an insanely productive pass rusher for a late day 3 pick. He ended up with 25.5 sacks and 34 TFLs in 24 starts. That’s not a fluke. Powell-Ryland knows how to get after the quarterback and how to finish. There’s loads of good film here.

+ He’s an outstanding athlete. I wish we had agility numbers, but the speed and explosive numbers are fantastic.

+ He has a diverse bag of pass rush moves, but his best move is his spin move. It’s excellent. He has great hand usage to get pressure consistently. Just look at the spin!

+ He has natural bend, and his slight frame helps him flatten around the edge and turn tight corners with ease.

+ He plays with urgency and a high motor. He generates sacks late in downs and chases plays from the backside with real effort.

+ Forced nine fumbles over the last three seasons!

+ He played special teams in college and even managed to block a PAT once.

Weaknesses

– He’s very undersized for NFL EDGE, with short arms and a compact build. The Eagles haven’t been put off by undersized EDGE’s of late, but it is something to note.

– He has a number of pass-rushing moves, but you don’t see any real explosiveness to his game. He wins with technique and pass-rushing moves. Can he consistently do that against much better opponents without explosiveness at the next level? It’s a tough projection.

– His run stop rate was very low last year (5.4%), and his missed tackle rate was high (19.1%). Despite this, I think his most significant issue is his inability to consistently set the edge. If you want to get on the field on early downs, this is a non-negotiable. He will have to work hard on this. He struggles at times vs tight ends, which is a worry. Big, powerful linemen are going to be able to displace him easily.

– There are very few examples of him dropping back into coverage successfully or kicking inside. He is strictly an EDGE rusher. The Eagles like versatile defenders, but Powell-Ryland isn’t one.

– Multiple shoulder surgeries in high school.

Overall

I promise, I do try not to be biased when evaluating the Eagles’ draft picks. I don’t love them all! If you go way back to my post-draft review of the Davion Taylor pick, you will know I am pretty fair! But how can you not be positive about what the Eagles did on day 3 this year?

Overall, Antwaun Powell-Ryland is a high-motor pass rusher who posted some of the best production in college football over the past two years. He clearly lacks ideal measurables, but he compensates with a diverse number of pass rush moves and outstanding effort. He’s not strong enough or long enough to hold up as an every-down EDGE, and his struggles in the run game will likely limit him to sub-package duty throughout his career. However, he can bring value as a 3rd down pass-rusher.

I know not everyone is, but I am a fan of having pass-rush specialists, even if they can’t do a lot else. When I watched Bryce Huff last off-season, I was extremely skeptical of his ability to handle more snaps and play the run, but I didn’t hate the move because I thought, at worst, the Eagles were getting a 3rd-down pass-rush specialist.

With Huff traded to the San Francisco 49ers, I think Antwaun Powell-Ryland has the potential to make the roster and be the Eagles’ 4th or 5th EDGE rusher. I don’t see why you wouldn’t keep him on the roster and let him rush the quarterback on 3rd down. I don’t think Antwaun Powell-Ryland has the frame or ability to play against the run early on in his career. But I think he can rush the quarterback. I think he could have a role this season as a pass-rush specialist.

We made it! That’s all the 2025 Eagles’ draft picks done. I’ll get into reviewing the 2024’ Eagles draft class now. If there’s anything else you’d like me to write about during the off-season, please let me know.

Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here.