It’s been a rather good month for Ronald Powell (6-4, 230, Moreno Valley, CA Rancho Verde), the #1-ranked player in the country by ESPN’s Scouts, Inc. He has dominated the practices leading up to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio and for good measure picked up a sack, caught a 23-yard pass for a touchdown and blocked an extra point which he returned for a safety to win the Pete Dawkins trophy as the game’s most outstanding player. Now it’s time to cap off a great January by making his official visit to the University of Florida.
Powell announced his intention to be a Gator in the fourth quarter of the game in San Antonio, giving the Gators the nation’s elite pass rusher in an already star-studded recruiting class. He’s visited Gainesville many times in the past year, but now he returns to Gainesville, this time as an official visitor and it’s more about coming back “home” and getting a chance to bond further with players and coaches with whom he’s already so familiar.
“I’ve been there so many times,” Powell said of his Friday departure to Gainesville. “I’m just looking forward to seeing everything again.”
Powell twice attended camp sessions in Gainesville, the first time when he caught passes from quarterback Trey Burton (enrolled early at Florida), and the second time where he dominated as a defensive end, linebacker, and wide receiver at Friday Night Lights. The Friday NIght Lights performance cemented his status as one of the top prospects in the country. This weekend, he will have the chance to meet back up with a lot of the guys he grew close with during the summer, and over the course of the year.
“It will be great to be back,” Powell said. “It’s nice getting to hang out with the friends I’ve already made down there.”
There has been considerable talk in the Southern Cal camp that new coach Lane Kiffin and his recruiting czar Ed Orgeron would pull out all the stops to keep Powell close to home, but whatever their tactics, they aren’t working. Powell says he’s made up his mind and he’s sticking with his decision.
“No, no, no,” Powell added in the phone conversation with Gator Country when then name Lane Kiffin was brought up. “There isn’t anybody that going to change my mind. I’m a Florida Gator, and I’m going to be a Florida Gator. [Kiffin and Orgeron] came to my school and tried to talk to me there, and I told them ‘I’m a Florida Gator,’ and that’s it.”
While the USC coaches have been persistent, Powell insists that when he made the announcement that he was headed commit to Florida, his decision was final.
“They’ve tried to call, but I’m done,” Powell added. “The recruiting process is over for me.”
The attempts to sway him won’t end until National Signing Day but Powell says there is no need for the Gator Nation to fret.
“Loyalty, that’s something my family taught me,” Powell mentioned at one point during the conversation.
Certainly, that loyalty will come in handy during the final days, as Florida tries to lock down the top-ranked recruiting class in the country. Powell has been a big part of that effort, and the reward will come on February 3rd.