One of Arkansas’ future linebackers who used to play in the shadow of the Pro Football Hall of Fame is now thriving near his future college destination.
Fayetteville High School senior standout and Razorback 2022 pledge Mani Powell (6-3, 230), who transferred in from Canton (Ohio) McKinley, has sparkled in his first few games for the Purple Bulldogs.
Powell arrived in Northwest Arkansas in early August, making the move after his head coach and six assistants were relieved of their duties.
Powell and his mom, who had accompanied him on his official visit in June, decided to make the move to Fayetteville early.
“It’s been great,” Powell said. “The people out here are very welcoming people and have helped me adapt to the place very quickly. It is home now and I love it.
“I’ve also really enjoyed getting to know my new teammates and I am just excited with how everything is going right now.”
Powell has been to see the Razorbacks’ two home wins so far this season, especially enjoying Arkansas’ 40-21 win over Texas before a sellout crowd of 74,531 fans on Sept. 11.
“It was great and an amazing atmosphere for everyone in the state of Arkansas,” Powell said. “And the way them boys played made it even better so it was an unbelievable night.”
He’ll be back inside Reynolds Razorback Stadium for Saturday’s 3 p.m. game with Georgia Southern.
Powell is on schedule to graduate in December and be an early enrollee in January.
“I am just excited to be a Hog and I can’t wait to get there,” Powell said. “I am actually ready to get there as soon as possible.”
He is also pumped about Arkansas’ 2022 recruiting class, which added Milan, Tenn., defensive back Anthony Brown (6-2, 190) on Tuesday.
The Razorbacks have 18 pledges in their 2022 class, one that Rivals - which has five Arkansas commits as 4-star prospects – ranks 14th nationally.
Those five are offensive linemen E’Marion Harris (6-7, 370) and Andrew Chamblee (6-6, 290), wide receiver Quincey McAdoo (6-4, 180), defensive back Myles Rowser and tailback Rashod Dubinion (5-11, 190, 4.3).
“We are getting such a good group of guys that are going to continue to take Arkansas in the right direction,” Powell said. “Everything is looking great and I am so happy I am going to be a part of it.”
Powell, whose 1-2 team was open on Friday night, has 40 tackles this season, including 10 during his team’s 14-7 home loss to North Little Rock on Sept. 10.
Fayetteville coach and former Arkansas quarterback Casey Dick is impressed with Powell both on and off the field.
“He is just a great kid overall,” Dick said. “He puts out unbelievable effort, obviously a great football player. He is just a humble kid that plays with maximum effort all the time.”
Powell joins Indiana commit Kaiden Turner (6-2, 220) as a pair of Division I pledges manning the linebacker spots for the Purple Dogs.
“We look at it as if we are a shot gun with two bullets, double-barrel and ready to fire,” Powell said. “He was actually the very first player I met here and we have become very tight. I think that helps with our play out on the field.
“I trust him, he trusts me and that’s now my brother.”
Dick, who also has a third Division I commit in Oregon wide receiver pledge Isaiah Satenga, sees the linebacker duo blending well together.
“It is awesome to watch them play together,” Dick said. “You can put them in position and pretty much just turn them loose. They do a great of making reads and putting on pressure and both are doing a really great job.”
Fayetteville opened its season with a 41-24 victory over Conway before falling to Owasso,, Okla., 48-42 and North Little Rock.
Powell knows the Purple Bulldogs are just a few plays away from being 3-0 instead of 1-2.
“We are going to take advantage of every day in practice,” Powell said. “We have obviously played a few good teams and those teams are helping us define who we are.
“We are definitely going to be pinpointing the negatives in our games and get better in the aspects where we have been lacking.”
Powell had 81 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 7 quarterback pressures as a junior at McKinley.
He was named to the first team of the Division I All-Ohio football team by The Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association.
He chose Arkansas over Michigan, Ole Miss, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana, Syracuse, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, Liberty, Ball State and others.
“I can never feel satisfied and will always keep working hard to improve on every aspect of my game,” Powell said. “I am just going to keep playing hard and preparing for college all while trying to win a state championship.”